


Who We Are

by GhostXavier



Series: The Fragments Series [4]
Category: Fate/Grand Order, Fate/stay night & Related Fandoms
Genre: Action, Angst, Bittersweet, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Drama, Epic Battles, F/F, F/M, Mental Anguish, Romance, Tragedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-26
Updated: 2018-05-31
Packaged: 2019-05-16 14:26:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 92,963
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14813109
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GhostXavier/pseuds/GhostXavier
Summary: [ Fragments of Chaldea Supplement III ] In the final confrontation for humanity's future, not everything goes as planned. Difficult decisions must be made in order to keep victory within Chaldea's grasp. Though the actions of some shine brighter than others, in the end, they're all torches in the night who light the path ahead.This is an official reposting of the Fragments Series for archival purposes.





	1. Prologue

**Preface**

_The following story contains spoilers for Fate/Grand Order._

_Knowledge of Singularity Time Temple Solomon's story is necessary for full appreciation, but this piece adapts the situation due to the butterfly effect. Expect this to be similar yet different, but remember if some canon scenes aren't depicted in full, it's safe to assume they do happen._

**_In addition, this is a supplement work for the series' core entry,[Fragments of Chaldea](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13053585/chapters/29857767)_ _, and_ _reading everything up to Fragment 75 is practically required_** _for this supplement in order for half of the story to make sense. This is supplement is loaded with information, concepts, call-backs, and pay-offs for the series. Everything that applies to, and has happened over the course of, that collection applies here. It's background/foundation material._

_You've been thoroughly warned, and with that, I hope you enjoy the journey ahead._

_~GhostXavier_

* * *

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ -I- ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

**I saw many sorrows.  
** **I saw many sorrows.  
** **I saw many sorrows.  
** **I saw many sorrows.  
** **Even if Solomon did not feel anything, I...  
** **No… We could not bear it.**

**"Do you not feel anything? Do you not think of correcting this tragedy?"**

**His face remained undisturbed.**

**"Not really. God admonishes man, a king merely administrates.  
****You do not have to hurt yourself over the sorrows of others.**  
Humans are all living beings that will be judged thusly."

**We could not understand.**

**Should such a rationale exist?  
** **Should such a reason be permitted?**

 **We debated.  
** **We decided.  
** **And thus, we acted.**

 **For the sake of a worthy answer…  
** … **let us bid farewell to everything.**

* * *

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ -II- ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

_Roman gasped for breath and relished the sweet bliss of cool air. The sight of his small, messy office was a relieving gift from the sweltering flames of his nightmare. He covered his face with his hands, and breathed hard in an attempt to calm himself. So many faces, with many more tormented yells. Countless images had flashed before him, formed from a nightmare first glimpsed years ago… No, more correctly, the scattered fragments of a heavy revelation._

_His last vision as the man he used to be._

_No matter how calmly he breathed, Roman could not wipe the faded yet lingering horrors. He couldn't discern the images, nor separate them; They were the last, rushed revelations before his wish was granted. Scattered debris and frantic yells… A strand of orange and a scream… A flash of light among many screens… What stood out above the countless slithers was the slowly spinning Chaldeas, cradled in a haze._

_Humanity's future was going to be jeopardized, but after years of searching he still couldn't understand why. He'd positioned himself in a prime position to help thanks to his friend Marisbilly, and placed his hopes with his organization's efforts. With the guidance of Alaya, everything should turn out alright, yet still he doubted. In the pit of his usually nervous stomach, he feared the what if… The small slither and chance that someone, or something, had managed to thread the needle and-_

" _You okay there, Mister Medical Head?"_

_Roman's self-controlled breathing stopped. He lowered his hands slowly as the convoluted web of thoughts faded into surprise. The stillness of his office greeted him, complete with the scattered paperwork for the new employees that arrived this morning. They were the first of a new wave Marisbilly had chosen, and Roman had been sorting through the packets and files on his laptop. He'd clearly passed out, and now he was behind; His daughter might even scold him!_

_Fleeting thoughts of Olga reprimanding him vanished as he gazed to his now open door, where the newest beauty stood. He'd never voice it, but those blue eyes framed by onyx tresses captivated him more than he'd confidently voice. She was the newest assistant of them all, but the powerful figure wasn't any mere employee. Leonardo Da Vinci was one of Chaldea's first servants… but he still couldn't wrap his head around the eccentric woman… or the fact she was a woman?_

" _At least you're not staring at my breasts again," she huffed with a blank expression. He blushed. Had she really seen him doing that in the chamber!? Though a bit exasperated, a small smile quickly formed. "So you're the head of the Medical Department? Aren't you going to say anything~?"_

" _Uh...! Yeah, sorry! I was just-"_

" _Falling asleep with all this work, clearly~…" she noted with that playful hum in her voice. "Maybe I should tell the Director you were slacking off, Mister…?"_

" _Please don't do that!" He quickly yelped, then after a small pause of realization, coughed into his fist. He quickly stood up, but sent a few papers on his lap sprawling to the ground. Paying them no heed, he held out his hand. "…Roman Archaman. It's a pleasure to meet you."_

_The renaissance clad woman looked at the outreached hand and blinked. She giggled, took a few playful steps to the desk and grasped the hand gently. He glanced into her amused eyes, and felt his heart skip a beat. "Pleasure is all mine, I can tell already~… Call me Da Vinci."_

"… _Da Vinci? But that's not a proper name… Not Leonardo?" he asked curiously._

" _My, my~… You want to be on a first name basis, Supervisor Archaman?" Da Vinci hummed, and it sent him into a small pani- She laughed, and smiled at him again. "Look at you squirm… You're quite the unusual employee~! All disorganized and easily flustered like a little child."_

" _I-I'm not usually like this!" he tried to reassure, but failed horribly, as they released the shake. She laughed again, and he crossed his arms over his chest. "You just caught me at a bad- I mean you…!"_

" _You're going to be one of the interesting ones, I can tell already~!" she mused, then gazed at the scattered paperwork. "Though… I'm not sure how you got a doctorate with this level of organization. Is a squirmy, pitiful guy like you really the head of the Medical Department?"_

" _Ouch! I worked hard for this position you know!" he winced and complained, but it only made her giggle. "Sheesh… Are you always this wicked?"_

" _I'm just stating the truth, Roman. Olga made you squirm with just a glance. It's good to have a bit of composure in public, you know~?" As he sulked, Da Vinci merely smiled as she glanced around at the many different profiles strewn about the room. "But I must ask… What brought a mess like you to Chaldea?"_

_Roman's expression fell a touch serious, and it caused her to look up. In her eyes, he saw the fire of curiosity ignite, and Roman feared he had betrayed himself for a few moments; He couldn't raise suspicion, especially in front of perceptive beings like servants. He'd reprimand himself later for a potential slip, but quickly put up his mask. Roman smiled lightly, and scratched the back of his head. Still, the glint of curiosity remained in Da Vinci's eyes as he answered._

" _Oh, you know… I just felt like I could really do humanity some good if I came here."_

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ Ω ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

_**Prologue** _

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ Ω ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

"West wing two thirds neutralized." "Gabrielle's team almost has the east secured." "The beachhead is coming under assault again!"

A chorus of fast typing, clicks, and beeps chimed from every work station in the control room. Robots and employees worked dutifully and without pause, monitoring the progress of the deployed forces. Chaldeas spun in its cradle in the Deployment Room beyond its windows, towering over the many reserve servants waiting for the call to be deployed. Tension lingered in both rooms, though it was nowhere near as suffocating as Roman thought it would be.

He stood with crossed arms before the central control board, staring intently at the large screen above. His eyes scrutinized every little detail of the confusing mess that was Solomon's domain. The mass of blackened roots and crumbling ruins would throw the eyes into chaos unless viewed from above. From the chosen perspective, it became much easier to give detailed instructions without ensuing confusion; Any delay could be fatal in this final confrontation.

Roman eyed the very bottom of the horseshoe-shaped bastion, which was several kilometers in diameter. At the bending base of the horseshoe, a small outcrop of land jutted out. Barely a few hundred meters wide, it was separated from the other ruins and tendrils. This place served as the only landing zone Chaldea could access; It was a dangerous chokepoint, but it was their lone beachhead, or so it was named.

He glanced to a nearby monitor, where Anishka's team valiantly fended off another tidal surge of dark beasts. These demons were easily held off by the combined might of the defending force, which included the Four Indian legends. In particular, Rama vaporized hordes with mere waves of his sword, so Roman's concern didn't rest there.

The southern beachhead was secure.

As Da Vinci worked the primary console in front of him, he glanced to the left part of the horseshoe. It had been simply dubbed the west wing, and Gudao's combined forces were steadily making their way to the top. They also encountered the same demons that assaulted the beachhead. Gabrielle's forces on the east wing dealt with the same enemies, and although both groups had progressed very slowly, they made steady gains.

Roman would have liked to attack Solomon directly, but the circumstances prevented this. He let out a slow breath, "What's the barrier's strength?"

"Thirty percent and falling," Da Vinci answered calmly. "The last demon pillars should do it."

After a small glance to Shakespeare, who was diligently writing in the very back of the room, Roman turned to another monitor. It showed Gudao's remaining forces assaulting the last combined demon pillar on the west wing. The demon gods had combined into six merged-colonies that resembled a larger pillar, each based on a ruined island among the horseshoe. Between them and the hordes of summoned demons, the fight just to reach Solomon had been taxing.

The pillars were far stronger combined, and required leaving groups of servants behind to keep them suppressed. Due to the nature of this domain, the combined pillars would simply be reborn anew. However, if they were too busy trying to survive and focus on regeneration, they couldn't feed power to the central barrier. The strategy was to keep all the pillars suppressed in hopes the barrier would drop.

Gudao and Gabrielle would then lead the final teams in to finish Solomon.

"Brilliant, brilliant!" Shakespeare proclaimed from the back, making some employees chuckle. "Gudao will be victorious in this race! And when Gabby looked to be ahead too!"

"Maybe Gabby will make a last-minute comeback? Scathach and Medb hate losing anything," a smirking Tesla added as he entered the room with a new whiskey bottle. "I theorize everything is fine since there are no alarm bells?"

"Slow and steady~…" Da Vinci hummed at the monitor, but tossed a small glance to the still serious Roman.

Though he did appreciate the lighter atmosphere than he expected, he kept his arms crossed tensely over his torso. Part of him wanted to join in. He wanted to laugh and smile alongside them. Tense situations made him nervous, and a bit of mirth would solve the issue… but he couldn't bring himself to do it.

He glanced between all the screens, scrutinizing each one as his paranoia welled within. Solomon had proven only a fraction of his strength in London, and Holmes had warned them that he should not be taken lightly. He wished the detective were here to give his input, because that would likely help calm his nerves. For all the effort Chaldea was putting in, and making slow progress, he couldn't help but feel things were going a bit too well considering the scanned readings.

Every ounce of him urged the acting director to keep scanning the screens. It was proving to be a hard-fought battle. At points they struggled to gain any ground since landing in the late morning. As the early evening approached, they've taken far more ground than he believed they should have.

Maybe it was due to their strength since Merlin was providing Avalon's assistance. It could also be he heavily underestimated the quality of Chaldea's servants, which he'd never voice on fear of justified abuse. There was also the idea he had overestimated this Solomon's capabilities since he had far more curious powers than he believed the King of Magic should have; If anyone would know, it was Roman.

All that aside, he still remained confused about the sudden threat the forces remained vigilant for: There was a beast-level enemy detected in the singularity.

The readings still indicated it hadn't moved at all within the barrier, but they couldn't see it clearly. They couldn't even see Solomon past the purple field. It would remain a source of major anxiety, but he counted his stars it had yet to make any sort of move. It could be Solomon's bodyguard and final defense by the looks of it, but he hoped their luck held.

Whatever the case would be, he knew his nerves wouldn't be calmed until the overall threat was subdued.

"Gabby's team has reached the final pillar!" "West wing is almost completely suppressed, Doctor Roman!" "Beachhead receiving another attack!"

He felt a gentle hand on his arm, and he looked to see Da Vinci had placed her hand on him. She smiled softly, "Relax a bit. You'll stress yourself sick."

He was expecting a jab, but he didn't mind the genuine show of concern either. He smiled back, "Sorry… I'm just being me."

"Yeah… Just you being you," she teased back with a small giggle before she returned to the console. "Barrier at twenty percent and falling."

Chuckling from the back of the room caught Roman's attention. He turned back, and spotted Shakespeare's feather pen writing wildly as he stared towards him. "Wonderful! Humanity's valiant stand, with Roman and Da Vinci's secret love finally flapping for all to see amongst hopeful winds!"

" **T-That's not it at all! Don't write about us!"**  Roman quickly complained as laughter raced through the control room.

"Oho! But it got you to calm down, or do my eyes deceive like hungry beggars?" Shakespeare pointed out with a small smirk.

Roman blinked, but quickly sighed with small relief. Truthfully, that small distraction did make him feel just a bit better. Perhaps he was just being paranoid like he usually was. It had been several hours of stressful observation… maybe he should check up on Magi*Mari-

' _No, Roman… It's not the time to be_ that _laxed.'_  That could come later with significantly less stress.

He glanced back to the main monitor as the brief silence allowed the tension to seep back in. The horse shoe was almost completely secure… but why was it a horseshoe to begin with? Most rituals acted on the basis of a circle, so the missing point at the north, which would complete the circle, worried him. Staring at the vacant space only served to reignite his paranoia, but the numbers that the scanners were picking up weren't a lie.

The barrier was coming down, and Solomon would soon be confronted.

* * *

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ -IV- ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

"Incoming assault! Hold the beachhead!" "They never learn, do they!?" "I'll beat your score this time, Leonidas!"

Were it not for the endlessly writhing tentacles, whose blackened bodies housed occasional rows of crimson eyes, Anishka might have found this place eerily beautiful. The living roots, which served as the interweaving threads that held these massive, floating islands together, did not attack. They merely existed and writhed in unnerving silence. Their stable ground allowed the waves of demons firm footing to launch their ground assaults at the lone, separated island.

Thanks to their number, it was hard to discern what these demons looked like when they first landed. As the battle raged on, everyone understood what they were dealing with. They were like blackened humanoids, wreathed with a shadowy mist and crazed to the point of blindly assaulting the invaders. Though their midnight, muscular bodies appeared as giant humans, their reptilian heads bore vicious fangs and goat-like horns. Dreadful claws on hands and feet formed their main, vicious means of attack.

What they lacked in quality, they made up for in sheer numbers.

With a hand clutched to the chest of her blue-accented Chaldean battle suit, Anishka overlooked the battlefield. She kept her breathing steady and under control, ever cautious of losing her own composure and missing something important. She stood on a rocky outcrop at the beachhead island's center, flanked atop the ruined mound by Sita and Arjuna. Their bows weaved arcs of lightning and fire through the war-torn air. Each hit detonated into the hordes of demons, thinning their numbers while conserving energy.

A defensive line of servants held the edge of the beachhead island, composed of some of humanity's greatest defenders. Hector led some allies in fending off a pushing horde, while Leonidas bolstered the defense on the other side with more heroes. While nearly a dozen servants defended, Rama and Karna were running amok among the masses. Explosions of gore and severed limbs tore through the sky before vanishing into sickly mists of ebony and crimson.

Anishka watched the fleeting glimpses of Rama as he dove deeper into the swarm of demons with no concern. She merely smiled with Sita as the saber destroyed another bushel of enemies with a chuckle. It was incredible to see the fabled stories of Rama, destroyer of demons, in person. Karna's attacks were also majestic, but Rama made this look like a walk in the park. For him, it likely was.

"Did you see that, Sita!? Annie!?" Rama cried out happily over the hordes as he dove in again.

Sita giggled at him, who was clearly showing off for his wife. "Keep it up, dear! You're doing great!"

Anishka glanced over the defending perimeter. A few servants rested at the base of the mound, ready to act, but otherwise not doing anything to help. Iskandar, Tamamo, Ereshkigal, Altera, and King Hassan conserved their energy for when Gudao and Gabrielle returned to this landing zone; They would be part of the final strike force that would attack the throne. Her team, on the other hand, was more than welcome to expend their energy defending Chaldea's only landing zone.

Feeling a little tired, Anishka pulled a golden apple out of her small satchel. She took a bite as Arjuna launched a powerful volley that zipped past Karna. It detonated into a cluster of demons he charged towards, incinerating several hundred in an explosion of blue prana. Karna tossed a simple glance back towards them with a disappointed smile. Arjuna merely smirked back and aimed for another target. Anishka giggled at the rivalry's healthy exchange.

The master's intercom buzzed, and she held the wrist-mounted device up to click a button with her pinky. Da Vinci's holographic face appeared before them with a cheery smile. "The barrier will be down shortly~! Gudao and Gabrielle will be making their way back to you in no time~!"

"No casualties?" she asked hopefully, and Da Vinci's simple nod raised her spirits. Defending this point was grueling and concern-filled work.

"All suppression points are handling the situation fine~! I'll be sure to let you know if we're leyshifting reinforcements!"

"I hope the next call is our victory then!" Anishka happily replied, making Da Vinci giggle before the transmission ended.

"It's good to be optimistic, but we must remain vigilant. The battle is far from over," Arjuna reminded, though he was as calm and composed as ever. Even still, he smiled lightly when he stole another group of demons from Karna's advance. "Solomon likely has more defenses within the barrier."

"With so many out here now… He definitely believes we're a threat," Anishka mused in agreement. However, the train of thought led her to another question as she supervised the battle around her. Besides the demon pillars, what else did he have to fall back on?

No one expected these demon hordes, so the possibility of even stronger enemies at the throne remained. That didn't even count Solomon himself, a Grand Servant with enough power to take out a normal one with ease. There was also that beast to consider, and just thinking about it made her shiver; Watching Tiamat from the control room was terrifying, but now it was her turn to possibly see a beast in person.

Though she remained worried and a bit paranoid, Anishka clung to her hopes: The complete final strike team were no pushovers.

* * *

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ -V- ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

To any normal viewer, the demon pillars could only be described as madness incarnate. Protruding from the ground like tentacles that rivaled small skyscrapers, they varied in color, but their composition remained the same. Diamond, crystalline eyes of crimson red speckled their forms, constantly twitching, observing, and learning; Some were intact on this one, but many were shattered and oozing black liquid.

Pained moans and screams of countless, soulless bodies, interwoven to form the carapace of each demon god. Though this one appeared a gaudy gold, it barely masked the trapped departed within. Blinded and senseless, they suffered so their writhing host may draw the energy it needed for its task. Its eyes flashed brightly, and those trapped within screamed as one as a wave of malignant energy surged out towards its attackers.

Rocky ground and ruined marble pillar were sent flying, but Mashu grit her teeth and held her shield firm. "Senpai! Fou!"

"I'm fine, Mashu!" the battlesuit-clad master reassured from behind her, placing a firm hand on her exposed shoulder for comfort; His other clutched Fou closely to his chest. She only tensed further as a boulder deflected off the shield. They had stood amongst ruins only minutes before, but the demon pillar had quickly reduced their cover to a rugged plain. He sent the telepathic order,  _"It's recharging the attack! Make it pay for it!"_

As the hurricane of malevolent winds died down, Merlin and Bedivere slid back into position near Gudao's back. Some of the remaining horde of the demons, bolstered by the passing gale, charged towards them. After a swift incantation from Merlin, he motioned his staff towards the demons. Several bright orbs fired from its tip as his robe flared from the burst. The densely packed energy cannonballed into the vanguard then detonated, steamrolling everything behind them. The few that remained were quickly sliced apart by a strum of Tristan's bow.

Gudao glanced over the safety of the shield to view the silently obeyed command. Arturia flew by on Dun Stallion, sending a focused blast from Rhongomyniad careening into one of the pillar's eyes. It shattered, making the tentacle scream as the Vimana soared past to deliver a volley. A charged prana shot from Ishtar's boat slammed into the opposing side. As it writhed and screamed, earthen weapon from Enkidu raked at its golden form.

With the demon pillar staggering, Gudao was free to safely survey more of the field. Arthur and Brynhildr kept Arash defended as he struck eyes with pinpoint precision. Lancelot and Gawain were thinning the remaining few clusters of lesser demons. It was still a slog, but it got easier with each pillar they managed to suppress. It seemed Solomon had a finite number of these lesser demons, so the more spread out the Chaldean forces were, the less appeared at each island due to dispersion.

If only they didn't resurrect infinitely like the pillars.

The demon pillar, Amon, shrieked as its final eyes were shattered like glass.  **"Regenerate! Restore! Regenerate! Chaldea must be expunged!"**

"That's it, Senpai! It can't keep it up anymore!" Mashu cheered as the bleeding pillar glowed with purple energy; That was the visual cue. The pillar would no longer be providing energy to the throne's barrier in order to replenish itself. There would be a minute of down time before it would start attacking again, but its damaged state could be suppressed once more by a smaller party. Fou barked in celebration as it scampered onto Gudao's shoulder.

" _Great! Arturia, Arthur, you're in charge here now! Thanks for all your hard work!"_  Gudao relayed, then sighed in relief. He gently rubbed Mashu's shoulder. "How're you feeling, love?"

She beamed back at him, and though her eyes were fatigued, she did her best to hide it. She had been very adamant she would be okay to come, but he couldn't help but worry more. Even now he still worried for the smiling, wonderful girl who enriched his life than he could ever properly voice. She nodded happily, "I'm finishing this with you, Senpai. At your-"

"Your side, where I want to be as long as I can…" he recited, as she always loved to whisper to him before they fell asleep. As he glanced around briefly to survey the battlefield, Fou looked between them with a pleased twinkle in its eyes. The master smiled warmly back at her, but his gaze remained troubled and worried. "…Just as long as you keep your promise."

"Then you keep yours," she winked playfully, then placed a quick peck on his lips.

Merlin coughed playfully as he sent a burst of lightning through an approaching horde. Fou glared at the caster, but Merlin only grinned. "Hey, now~! We're still on a battlefield you two~!"

"Mayhaps we chalk it up to their confidence in us!" Bedivere chuckled happily as he eyed the closest, charging demons. The furthest they ever got was only fifty meters before Tristan's eviscerating strikes or Merlin's bolts would fry them. This time, it was a tidal wave of earthen weapons that the last of their resurrected rank as Gudao finally realized he'd yet to give the confirmation report to Roman.

He clicked the intercom on. "Chaldea, western wing suppressed."

"Shit! You only won because you got Gilgamesh and Enkidu, Gudork!" Mashu and Gudao chuckled at Gabrielle's incredulous cry: She lost the unofficial race, but neither of them would actually dare rush to put their servants in danger.

"Confirmed, Gudao~!" Da Vinci's voice chimed in as her winking face appeared above his wrist device. "The shield should drop as soon as Gabby finishes the job!"

Gudao clicked the device off as the area fell mostly silent. He let out a long, relieved breath as he gazed about the still battlefield, where only Amon's writhing form remained and regenerated. In a few minutes, the attacks would begin anew, but the demon pillar would only be at about half its original strength when it'd renew its attacks; These combined pillars were roughly twice as strong as an individual one, and that was while most its power was diverted into the defensive shield around the throne.

That was a scary thought, and far too unnerving for the master.

Gudao had been racked by nervousness and caution ever since they started the western assault. It grew every time they suppressed a pillar, since it meant leaving a group of servants behind to keep it locked down. The possibility that someone could fall was very real, yet they were scraping by. That fear only lightened at this moment, when nearly all of the combined pillars were subdued.

Even so, the paranoia remained. The what ifs circled his mind like vultures, ready to tear him apart. He was always cautious, and he'd remain that way to the grave. As much as he appreciated every gift he got, in whatever form, there was a part of him that still worried about any terrible surprises. In particular, he began to sharpen his mind for whatever nasty ambush Solomon at the throne.

At worst, the numbered beast wasn't the only thing he had ready for them.

The small group looked up as Gilgamesh's Vimana slowly landed beside them, accompanied by Ishtar's boat and a horseback Arturia. Enkidu playfully summersaulted onto the wing of the ancient aircraft, making the golden armored king clap for his best friend. Gilgamesh glanced over to Gudao. "A rather boring stroll among the stars… If only the scenery wasn't such an eyesore to the King."

"I'm glad you came anyway! Thank you!" Gudao smiled and nodded, which made Gilgamesh smirk and Enkidu chuckle. "It's about time we end this though."

"There's always a seat for you, Gudao. Mashu too, for this rare occasion," Gilgamesh commented as he motioned to his aircraft. Mashu nodded gratefully to express her thanks while Gudao walked over to the wing. Enkidu stepped over to help the master up, just as Gilgamesh eyed the grinning Merlin. "You can teleport yourself. I, the King, know very well you are capable of that much."

"After all I've done for you in Uruk?" Merlin scoffed, but then Fou jumped onto the wing with a small frown while Enkidu and Gudao helped Mashu up. He eyed the tiny beast, who slowly smirked his way, and grimaced. "…Teleport it is. I'm not getting on with that damn thing."

"Fou, fou," the fluffy critter responded smugly before following Mashu and Gudao to their seat. As the small seat unfolded before the king, the one Mashu and Gudao would share, Fou quickly clambered onto Mashu's shoulder. It turned around and glanced towards Gudao. "Fou, fou?"

Gudao blinked out of his small reverie to look at it. He smiled, "Yea… Sorry, just running possibilities through my head."

Fou nodded in understanding as Gudao took the seat first. As Mashu sat in his lap, he watched Enkidu simply hold onto Gilgamesh's seat for stability. Shortly after his girlfriend was secure, the Vimana began to hover. He was still lost in the many rampant possibilities running through his mind as the demon pillar reformed behind them. In a realm where the enemy could infinitely restore itself, what other terrible concepts waited in the shadows?

He didn't want to think about it much longer than that, but he had to: He knew better than to discard even the most absurd possibilities.

* * *

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ -VI- ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

Once the barrier shimmered with strength and vitality, but now it flickered and threatened to fade. The translucent shield around the central island… the heart which resided at the temple horseshoe's center, the throne, was due to break. The cold, grey rocky ruins would be fully exposed to attack from Chaldea. Though the pillars had destroyed the lone access arch long before the invaders' arrival, Chaldea had a predisposition for airlifting its forces around.

They would surely attack the throne by air once Sabnock's channeling node was compromised.

Within the fallen outline of a ruined, blackened temple, the throne stood atop a grand, marble staircase. Though it was chipped and cracked in places, it was far more pristine compared to the ruined columns and ground around it. The throne itself was akin to a white pillar, flanked on both sides by concentric rings that reached for the skies above. It was a lone symbol of prestige in a darkened domain… a hated yet memorable monument that served as their seat.

Before the throne, they stood within a flame of purest white. It flickered and waved gently with an unseen wind, yet towered before the throne in its controlled release. They prepared within, and managed what needed to be done while their consort pillar monitored the situation outside. Everything had been prepared long ago, but still they checked and rechecked… waited and observed…

Yet, they were calm.  _"Baal. Do not let any suspicion or doubt be ignored. Prepare the throne's defenses."_

" _Yes, my King."_

* * *

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ -VII- ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

"Gabrielle's team is victorious! Combined pillar Sabnock is suppressed!"

Roman allowed himself a tiny smile as he watched the primary monitor. With raging sparks from crackling lightning, the barrier collapsed and left the throne unguarded. Gabrielle was organizing the final suppression group before returning to the southern landing zone to join up with Gudao. Though many celebrated lightly in anticipation for the final push, Roman would not get carried away.

The beast was likely going to defend Solomon on the throne. If the Grand Caster was doing necessary preparations, then that would be ideal; To fight both at once will require the reserves to be deployed immediately. That was likely to be the case considering how much energy Solomon seemed to be committing to the fight. It's fair to guess he saw all of this as an unfortunate necessity to stop their unchecked rampage.

But they would win. They  _must_  win.

Roman glanced briefly to one of the nearby stations, where a robot was actively checking Chaldea's interior surveillance system. "Terrance. How's everyone?"

"All scattered and moving sporadically, as you requested," the robot beeped back quickly. One of its three eyes shifted to him. "I feel I must question this once more. My calculations indicate a minimum fifty-percent increase in safety if they were all in the bunker. Are you suffering PTSD from the Fuyuki Incident?"

"…Maybe I am," Roman replied calmly as Tesla and Shakespeare eyed him firmly. As much as he knew the robot was right, he couldn't shake the knot in his stomach. Just the idea of clumping them together when Solomon held unknown cards in his hand shook him. As Acting Director, he was responsible for their safety, but this unusual decision sat a bit better than most. "Servants are with them, and they're a quick run to the bunker. I'm going to trust my gut on this one."

"A fair decision from our resident coward," Da Vinci approved with a small smile. "Let's hope our forces have his hands full to even think about a counter attack."

Except if it still was Solomon, then Roman knew he could likely think of a counter attack easily. Visions and revelations came like water in a stream; That clairvoyance is what Roman truly stressed about. To glimpse what could happen and circumvent it… It was the ultimate maneuvering tool in their chess game. As long as that was in play, and Solomon's state was still undiscerned, any surprise attack from him and the beast was possibl-

His eyes widened. Why the hell didn't he think of that possibility before!?

From what the scanners indicated, the domain was crafted and built using the magic circuits of the real Solomon. This pointed to the idea this Grand Caster was not fake… but to say he was the real deal was also incorrect. It was strangely reminiscent of a situation in the last singularity, though on a much more nerve-racking scale. Paranoid over his newest theory, that held far more water than he wished, Roman was compelled to action.

"Da Vinci, I need you to open up a channel to Gudao once Gabby gets to the landing zone."

* * *

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ -VIII- ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

"You heard me right. I believe the beast is the lone culprit. You likely won't be fighting the real Solomon."

Anishka's teams held the line against the newest wave of demons. Safe and far behind the line, Gudao and Gabrielle's teams circled Gudao and the projected Doctor Roman. Some, like Joan and Dantes, quickly murmured to each other while others, like Quetzalcoatl and Altera, silently listened in. Time was ticking, but Roman deemed the possible information important enough to share, so Gudao delayed the attack; He found the news itself both alleviated tension yet generated confusion.

"But even if he's not controlling the beast, how is he not an enemy? It feels like he sided with the enemy, like Archimedes did in the Moon Cell," Altera inquired, sending yet another wave of concern through Gudao. Mashu squeezed his hand beside him to calm him as Roman adamantly shook his head.

"That's not possible with Solomon. He wasn't raised like your typical person," Roman began firmly yet quickly to save time. "From what we've researched, he was completely indifferent to everything. He was a life offered from birth as a superior king that would even surpass King David. His subjects revered him, but saw no resemblance of life or thoughts that could be considered human. He wielded so much divine and royal authority, yet he lacked no sense of being human at all."

Iskandar scratched his chin. "To be either good or evil, you have to understand and have either to begin with. You can't make something from nothing?"

"Precisely!" Da Vinci chimed in. Her holographic body nudged Roman over so she could appear. "That's why even if he's altered, he can't become a bad person… Though no matter how you look at it, his indifference was cruel."

The possibility they weren't fighting the real Solomon relieved Gudao; Fighting a Grand Servant and a Beast together made his hair stand on end. On the other hand, he was starting to understand what Roman's real message was. He asked, "Solomon is being used as a puppet then?"

"Exactly. I feel it's a similar case that we had with Kingu in Babylonia." Roman's holographic projection nodded. "Someone is using Solomon's corpse in order to achieve their goals, and I strongly believe it's the beast lurking in this singularity."

There was a brief pause in thought, but Gudao nodded slowly. "That does make more sense."

"I'd buy it," Gabrielle pointed out flatly while keeping her hands akimbo on her battlesuit. "One of the seven beasts that want to destroy humanity."

"So we won't be dealing with a Grand Caster and a beast at the same time," Ereshkigal sighed with relief. "That makes our life easier."

"Or harder," Dantes warned with narrowed eyes. "That means this beast is graced with clairvoyance. That's what you wanted to warn us about, yes?"

Gudao's concern and anxiety rose as Roman nodded firmly. "Exactly. If this theory holds true, it's not Solomon, but he has access to a Grand Caster's powers. He is not to be underestimated by any means."

"Then it's a good thing we weren't underestimating this fight to begin with!" Gabrielle grinned as she looked around confidently at the gathered group. He was always glad his best friend's choice way of countering pressure was to boast confidently; It always did help him back up in their childhood. Gudao glanced around too, even if his face was mostly blank in an attempt to hold his mounting concerns. The sight of his allies soothed him.

Gilgamesh. Enkidu. Ereshkigal. Merlin. Altera. Lord El-Melloi II. Dantes. Joan. Tamamo. Quetzalcoatl. Shuten. Siegfried. Iskandar. King Hassan. Medb. Scathach. Mashu.

Seventeen servants, many of which were among the strongest within Chaldea. Some of Anishka's own powerhouse team would remain in immediate reserve, but the throne was not out of strike range for Arjuna, Rama, and Sita. That didn't count the archers and casters evenly dispersed around the suppression points, ready to send supporting fire when possible. With the added powerhouse reserves that remained safe in Chaldea, ready to deploy as a final ace up the sleeve…

…Gudao was filled with confidence, but he did not let it get to his head. He merely smiled and nodded to Roman. "Thanks for the heads up. We'll be on our guard for the worst."

"We won't have communications with you once you approach the throne. That space-time fault doesn't play nice… so I'll say it here," Da Vinci warned, but smiled confidently. "Go show the enemy what Chaldea is made of! We'll be waiting to welcome you home, so bring good news!"

"Good luck, everyone!" Roman nodded, but made lingering eye contact with Mashu, then Gudao. He smiled. "Make sure she doesn't push herself too hard, Gudao. We don't want her too tired for the promised procedure."

"We'll be back safe and sound," Gudao reassured as he squeezed Mashu's hand one last time. She and Roman smiled as he signaled for Quetzalcoatl to bring her mounts out for their assault. He felt better, even as the stress remained. It was at a level he could manage, and he'd place his trust in his allies as he always had.

He missed the small glance shared between Gilgamesh and Roman, and the smirk from the king to the acting director.

* * *

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ -IX- ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

"They should be regenerating soon!" Irisviel yelled from her position atop a ruined pillar. Illyasviel floated beside her, with Ruby clutched readily in hand. Their gazes remained focused on Sabnock, the gray pillar that attempted to regenerate from Heracles' recent, devastating strike; The force of his attack had cleaved into the demon pillar's base like an axe to a thin sapling.

Heracles, Jaguarman, and Kiritsugu waited at the base of the pillar, keeping eyes on the locations where waves would regenerate. If there was any consolation to their endless attacks, it was the predictability of where they'd appear. It made Kiritsugu's bomb laying that much easier.

On two other nearby pillars, Emiya and Kuro kept their bows out in preparation. The tanned archer swept his keen eyes quickly over the entire domain. The Celts had once more subdued their combined pillar on the adjacent island, and he spotted Ishtar and Arturia ready to make another bombing run once theirs regenerated. He gazed at the strike force mounting up on the faraway beachhead and frowned. Kuro eyed him, "It's bothering you too, Onii-chan?"

"Yea… It's far too quiet," Emiya scrutinized as Gudao's voice echoed into their heads.

" _All ranged servants! Prepare to assist the landing operation! We're assaulting the throne!"_

Kiritsugu stared to the throne. "He probably understands what's coming… full effort in defense of the throne."

As if to confirm Kiritsugu's theory, countless magic circles appeared in the skies around the central island. Stones etched with runes emerged from them, then turned towards the southern beachhead as the first of Quetzalcoatl's flying mounts took to the skies. Emiya swiftly raised his bow, traced a Caladbolg II, and primed the shot. "Kuro!"

An arrow tore through the sky towards the first target. "Two steps ahead of you!"

* * *

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ -X- ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

The starry space was a minefield of projectiles flying in both directions. The summoned defenses shot violet orbs of concentrated mana towards the incoming strike force. One of them slammed into a shielding dinosaur, but imploded with absolute destructive force. Gilgamesh's Vimana banked sharply to avoid the blast radius, while Enkidu ensured Gudao, Mashu, and Fou stayed in their seat. Gudao grit his teeth as Merlin fired a concentrated blast of electricity to detonate another incoming strike.  _"Don't let those attacks glance you!"_

Several icy chunks formed in the air before her flying mount as Tamamo weaved her spells. She sent them cascading forward, blocking an incoming volley from the defenses before they could reach the spearhead of flying mounts. Quetzalcoatl flew beside them on her larger beast, coordinating the body-blocking dinosaurs while chewing on a golden apple. Even if the gap between the domain's horseshoe perimeter and the throne was short, the defenses ensured it would not be easy.

Fortunately, the supporting fire was slowly destroying the floating defenses.

A flash of lightning from Arjuna's bow weaved perfectly through the formation before slamming into one of the floating boulders. Its rune imploded, sending shrapnel into nearby stones as they were struck by incoming arrows and spells from Chaldea's forces. A broken phantasm destroyed a few more, followed by another in a fiery detonation when one of Tomoe's arrows slammed home. A beam of lightning from Helena raked some, and one of Gilgamesh's golden axes cleaved through two at once.

"Nearly halfway there, Gabby!" Medb yelled out over the chorus of fire as she maneuvered her flying mount among the pack. The master held onto her seat as best as she could as the carriage rocked; Scathach looked perfectly balanced and calm on the roof. "He's sure angry at us!"

"We're flipping all the furniture in his house! Of course he's pissed!" Gabrielle joked back, and even Scathach found herself smirking as Medb laughed.

Gabrielle's confidence was soaring as high as her optimism. She was nervous, yea, but that was something she got used to after so many battles. There would always be that worry; It's when mistakes piled up that it got to her though. However, in this final battle, she felt content. They'd fought a terribly difficult battle, but this was the final push! They took all the precautions, and it was paying off! She couldn't help but feel confident in their future success!

…But to be honest, she clung to that high spirit to distract her from the thought that the situation, even if difficult, was going far better than it should.

* * *

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ -XI- ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

' _Please be safe…'_  Anishka's heart pounded in her chest.

Beside her, Sita and Arjuna kept up their precision bombardment. They were joined by Rama at the base of the mound, who had summoned his own legendary bow to display his unique battle prowess. Karna still danced among the swarms of demons as the other servants held Chaldea's sole extraction point. She fought the urge to marvel at the sight and remained glued to her stressful task.

Far from complacent, Anishka's eyes diligently scanned the beachhead along with the horseshoe perimeter. With Gudao and Gabrielle closing in on the throne, the space-time fault it sat on disrupted long range communication. She was now in charge of the defense while they handled the final opponent, and she was not going to fail them. Thus, she scrutinized every node as best as she could with her eyes and sent telepathic confirmations to the others.

_"Everything's fine at Halphas!" "Barbatos stomped in yet another new record!" "Orias nearly down again! No need to worry, Annie~!"_

She did worry a bit about that pillar in particular though. The lead pillars in charge of the singularities seemed to be the focal points, but there were only six instead of seven. Orias was also not one of the present pillars; If the pattern continued, that was supposed to be Flauros. Maybe something happened for its failure to deal with Chaldea? Its perceived absence worried her, but she couldn't dwell on it too long with the battle raging around her and a job to do.

Then again, it was yet another mysterious circumstance that would poke at the back of her mind. The island before the Beachhead was also strangely vacant save for the constant waves of lesser demons. It was likely yielded due to the proximity. Her closest servants would have easily suppressed it from this distance. She chastised herself for possibly overthinking again, but she couldn't help it with how much 'idling' she had to do.

After releasing another pinpoint strike, Arjuna glanced to the Indian master and smiled. "Bored? You've yet to lift a finger."

She smiled back at him. "I'm happy that's the case."

"Then let's hope it remains that way."

Something screamed within her that hoping wasn't going to change anything.

* * *

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ -XII- ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

It was a grueling push, but Roman breathed in relief as the final floating defense crumbled. Anishka's voice cracked over the communications line. "Chaldea, please confirm the strike force has landed!"

Da Vinci smiled. "That's a bingo for you, Annie~! They're re-consolidating as we speak! Tell everyone good work! That was a lovely display of firepower!"

He watched Gilgamesh's Vimana land at the edge of the island along with the many other mounts. Mashu was quick to head onto land to take up a defensive posture as the teams reorganized. He smiled lightly at Mashu's diligence, and nearly chuckled as Fou's barking at Merlin made the caster flinch. It did well to soothe the paranoia that had overwhelmed him for the past few hours.

The situation felt lighter, even with the final tense anticipation in the air. He observed the primary screen as the strike force quickly got their bearings and advanced down the once massive corridor, now marked only by the ruined columns and walls. He allowed himself to stare at familiar designs he once helped create, and slowly breathed at what's become of it. It was now a monument to a beast's desire, or so he still firmly believed.

Da Vinci blinked and stopped typing for a second. "…Oh? I think we  _can_  get comms!"

Roman's eyes shot to Da Vinci as she quickly fiddled with the console. Several minute of typing, working variables, and setting parameters, a crackling and barely audible feed opened up. They could hear them among the occasional static, but it was there. Da Vinci smiled and hailed, "Gabby? Gudao? Can you read us?"

Silence. "Hello? Gudao? Gabby~?"

Again, nothing, and Da Vinci sighed. Roman patted her on the shoulder. "It's okay, genius. One-way audio is better than nothing."

She beamed at the nickname, and he chuckled freely. Tesla chuckled from his seat in the corner. "You lost some stress, Roman. Thought we were back to the early days for a second."

Da Vinci eyed Roman with a dissecting eye, and he chuckled nervously. "It'll never go back to that! I promised!"

"Good." Da Vinci turned back to the main monitor and glanced at it. "They're about to meet the culprit again. Let's see if your theory holds water."

Roman stared up at the screen. The throne's platform of ruined rock way pretty large, but the team made good time. They were only half a kilometer away from the marble staircase, the one he'd ascended so many times. Brief nostalgia was subdued by his newfound relief. It was good not to be gripped by crippling paranoia now; He hated it whenever it popped up, but could anyone blame him?

He'd been around Chaldea for so long, but it was the past year that he witnessed the greatest moments he could ever hope for. There were bad times, surely, but what he'd come to witness was something he believed could not be replicated anywhere else. It was an impossibility, but it was their impossibility… and he dared not think of losing it.

He wanted to see it grow more, and relish in the happy smiles and atmosphere he'd come to love waking up to every day. Maybe he could play tag with Jack, Nursery Rhyme and the other kids. He was still down a few card games with David, and he wanted to even that score. Altera and Nero also want to plan another dinner with him and Da Vinci sometime. There was so much on his plate already, so the future looked bright.

That's why the paranoia for what could possibly go wrong would remain, but he was glad it wasn't choking him.

They'd taken all the necessary steps to ensure the final confrontation went their way. Even so, vigilance was kept the entire battle. Though everything was secure, they remained watchful and flexible enough to answer any possible shift with lightning proficiency; The first reserve teams must be horribly bored since they still waited on the leyshift pads in the other room.

With the enemy now cornered, Roman allowed himself to release just a little bit more of his paranoia.

* * *

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ -XIII- ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

"This isn't suspicious at all…" Gabrielle muttered as they walked in the center of the servant formation. She eyed a nearby tendril that knit itself into some ruins. Its small eyes merely watched as they passed, but did nothing more.

Like the many other eyes in this domain, they watched, but it was the silence that truly unnerved Gudao. Mashu walked in front of him and Gabrielle, and the remaining servants formed the defensive ring around them. Only Iskandar and Medb remained on their beast-drawn mounts as they moved at the formation's flanks. Gudao remained silent, but eyed the column of light ahead… where the unyielding presence roared like a forest fire on a cloudy night.

Tiamat's overwhelming presence had partially conditioned him to this aura, which was suffocating in its own right. Though this one was equally as potent, it was how it felt that confused him. There was no malice or malevolence, anger or discontent. It just felt like a constant pressure that cast a sense of inferiority through his body. Goosebumps instinctively made their way onto his skin, and he could feel his natural flight or flight instincts trying to kick in.

Whatever this beast was, it was unnerving him in a different manner.

Lord El-Melloi II grumbled. "Something that small with as much power as Tiamat…"

"Her other form was small too," Scathach voiced to break the unusual stillness. "This one will likely be faster."

"Then we'll just have to hold it down," Enkidu chimed in quietly, but his and Gilgamesh's eyes remained firmly locked on the grand staircase.

After two more minutes of a cautious advance, the formation stopped. They gave enough room between them and the foot of the stairs to maneuver should the need arise. Yet, their cautious approach was met with nothing, as if the opponent merely invited them in after such a hard defense. As if to further Roman's theory, Solomon didn't even appear to greet them. Only unnerving stillness lingered in the air.

It was confusing, concerning, and his own paranoia rose again. As he glanced around at the firm gazes of the rest of the strike force, he could tell it made them just as uncomfortable. The only one who seemed to take it easily was Fou, who simply stared at the fiery pillar.

A minute passed in tense vigilance, yet nothing happened.

Even as the servant prepared for battle, there was only stillness. In the distance, he could hear the sounds of distant combat as the other servants fought off the pillars and hordes. He could see occasional flashes of projectiles that streaked through the sky like shooting stars. They were distant, but they were the closest source of conflict. He remained tense for a possible ambush, but as time ticked by, there was no response from the column of fiery light.

The silence of the void was starting to get to him. He couldn't allow his thoughts and emotions to compromise him in any way, so he sought to break the eerie standoff. He opened his mouth to call out, but he was cut off by a deep voice called out from the white flame.

"Welcome, Chaldea."

The column of light quickly faded. The swirling blindness temporarily outlined the unusual figure within; Gudao thought it was a tree at first. Some gasps rang through the group, but many only tensed as the unusual being turned its lone eye towards them. Whatever this was, it was definitely the beast, and not Solomon.

Like a mismatched painting, the large humanoid gazed towards them with the lone, demonic eye embedded in its torso. The white and gold, armored skin covered every unusual muscle and left its human-like face void of any features. Atop its head sprouted countless antlers that mimicked leafy branches at its ends. It was difficult to comprehend the many markings and patterns on its body, let alone its whole existence.

All Gudao could understand, was that he was left temporarily speechless as the lone eye gazed towards them along with the featureless face. The tall beast, nearly twice as high as Iskandar, merely stood there high atop the staircase where the light used to cover it. It made no further movement nor intent to act, but calmly stood waiting; The sheer overwhelming pressure of its gaze sent a shiver down Gudao's spine. What felt like only a few seconds felt like an hour before it spoke once more.

"Allow us to congratulate you. We've decided to take you seriously."


	2. Chapter 1: Beast of Calamity

On the primary screen, Gudao had finally found his voice. "Where's Solomon?"

"We were Solomon… or, his body, at least," the beast rumbled. "That worthless king's corpse had served us well enough as a host. Such trickery is no longer necessary to reach our goal."

The Control Room's occupants stared at the screen, but the robots kept diligently working. Da Vinci was attempting to run calculations on the console, but Roman remained undistracted. His focus rested solely on the beast that stood silently on the throne's ascent. His guess had been confirmed, and tiny slithers of relief leapt for joy beneath his skin. They did little to unearth the goosebumps that covered his body.

Even if his origin was cleared, they were still fighting a beast… a beast powerful enough to have manipulated his corpse to such an extent, and activate the noble phantasms. Worse yet, this beast was mentally articulate, unlike Tiamat. It possessed control, and was not visibly consumed by any basic animal instincts. Combined with its frightening energy readings, this thing, responsible for plotting humanity's downfall, was not to be underestimated by any means; The entire task force would likely need reinforcements.

"Tesla. Get Ozymandias's cavalry on standby," Roman practically ordered, and the archer quickly strolled towards the door as Shakespeare's pen ran wild. The acting director was not going to take any chances with this. His heart rammed against its cage, just like it did when the screen first displayed Tiamat in the Persian Gulf. There were too many unknowns, and this thing was far too intelligent not to have some sort of backup plan.

Yet, for all the concern this beast was causing him, they still didn't have a name. Gabrielle took a shaky step forward and demanded, "Then who are you really!?"

There was a pause of silence, and the low chuckle that echoed from the screen made Roman's hairs stand on end. Even Da Vinci paused her work to gaze at the screen. The beast bellowed, "Master of Chaldea. We have no name… but if you shall extol us, let us be extolled!"

It reached out with its hand, startling the Chaldean group into a tighter formation around the two masters… but it only raised its limb to the stars. "We once existed as the avatar of the King of Magic... a mechanism and first familiar constructed by him to be the foundation for you magi."

Roman's eyes quickly dilated as his breaths turned shallow. Shakespeare's pen slowed down ever so slightly. He gazed curiously at the doctor as the beast rumbled, "We ruled the country together with him, then used his remains as our nest for our bodily incarnation."

"Ruled with Solomon… then…?" Da Vinci silently theorized as she glanced to Roman. He looked back at her concerned eyes quickly, which only served to panic the acting director further. The knot in his stomach twisted, and the tendrils of guilt and blame constricted his skin. This beast… He knew who this beast was all too well. Even if Roman was no longer him,  _he_  had been the reason for its existence and humanity's peril.

"We are that which has bound together seventy-two curses, and cast aside our protective mission to put all of human history to the torch." The beast slowly dropped its arm back to its side and gazed at the masters. "We are a collective… the Human Order Incineration Ritual…"

Roman mumbled quietly at the same time the beast spoke. "Goetia."

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ Ω ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

_**Chapter 1: Beast of Calamity** _

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[**   **Ω ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

"Beast I…" Merlin muttered firmly, which made Lord El-Melloi II tense beside him. The magus slowly reached towards his satchel as murmurs raced through the group.

Gudao looked to Gabrielle in confusion, but she was just as perplexed as he was. Goetia had been mentioned only once or twice in Chaldea's studies of Solomon, but that was supposed to be a summoning ritual. That meant this beast was more akin to a living spell, but that was a trivial note. What mattered was they had a confirmed Beast of Calamity before them…

…a beast that didn't look keen on attacking them at the moment. Its continued composure and calmness, despite its circumstances, continued to rattle the master. It rumbled, "…Silence? Do you not desire more answers? We are permitting you to speak… We thought humans were more inquisitive than that… You always loved your… closure, was it?"

"You want to  _talk?"_  Medb practically spat out in disbelief, and though the central eye turned her way menacingly, the head nodded.

"We hold the pursuit of wisdom highly, and for coming this far... shall grant you the right to ask questions. If it is all to end now, then time can be spared for knowledge… a respectable pursuit."

Gabrielle looked at Gudao quickly, then narrowed her eyes skeptically at Goetia. "And how do we know you're not just buying time?"

"Our necessary noble phantasms are already active. We can incinerate you at our leisure," Goetia declared calmly as it raised its hands into the air. The Chaldean group tensed again, and Enkidu already had his hand planted against the ground in preparation. Instead, Goetia merely held the pose. "These rings… that which you've seen across the singularities… the third noble phantasm, Ars Almadel Salomonis, was primed for your welcome."

Gudao knew more than enough about that one. Measurements taken before they departed indicated the light rings had energy that surpassed everything on Earth; The same rings that loomed in the background of the Time Temple. It had been a consistent reading throughout the entire ordeal. It was what was going to burn the world into ashes… but why was Goetia prepared to use it so early?

He dared to ask, if only to try and re-bolster his confidence, and smother his newfound anxiety. "You're going to use  _that_  on us? You'll destroy Ars Paulina in the process!"

Goetia gazed to Gudao as it lowered its arms. "We're more than capable of mitigating collateral damage. This reality marble will not fall."

' _So much for that…'_  he gulped. Chaldea had placed its bets that noble phantasm wouldn't be an option in Ars Paulina, but things just got worse; No wonder Goetia was so confident with its given circumstances. Merlin had voiced plenty of concern they wouldn't have any real protection against such a powerful attack, nor did they know of any further specifics besides intensity. Mashu could plausibly fend it off once, but Gudao didn't want it to get to that.

Talking seemed like a very safe option, if only to buy  _them_  time to revise the plan.

* * *

 **-•===ЯΞΞΞ[**   **III**   **]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

"We hold the pursuit of wisdom highly, and for coming this far... shall grant you the right to ask questions. If it is all to end now, then time can be spared for knowledge… a respectable pursuit."

Goetia declared on the screen.

"It looks like we have time before the main event," Roman breathed with relief. "Status report. Has anything changed?"

"West Wing is still holding fine." "Eastern nodes suppressing their targets." "The beachhead is in a calm state. They're ready to provide support by fire."

The smattering of confirmations was further relief to Roman's shaken nerves. Everything going according to plan, though very slowly, had shaken his nerves earlier. Now it was a calm in the storm, but he wasn't going to drop his guard yet. They faced the last hurdle, who would wield the lightbands that could vaporize defenses with ease. This was not going to be an easy fight, and the strike force would likely need heavy assistance.

"A small wave is moving towards the beachhead," an employee confirmed as she quickly typed on the keyboard. Her typing quickly slowed, and her eyes locked to the screen in surprise. "…Doctor Roman. They've stopped on the tendrils. They're not attac- Wait, is that…?"

Roman was not appreciating the surprise in her voice. "What is it? Put it on a side screen!"

"Right away!" the employee answered as Shakespeare walked over to her screen for a personal view. The caster's eyes widened, but not as fast as Roman's as he gazed onto the newly shifted image. He gasped as he stared at the cluster of lesser demons, who waited at the edge of the horseshoe's rocky base… but they weren't alone this time. Roman felt his fists tighten slightly even though his rollercoaster anxiety climbed the next hill.

"…Keep Goetia on the main monitor," Roman ordered as the demon pack's leader took a few steps forward, smiled, and tipped his green top hat. "I want to monitor both these situations at the same time."

* * *

 **-•===ЯΞΞΞ[**   **IV**   **]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

Chaldea's fiftieth master stared towards the smaller demon horde… or more specifically, at the familiar man in a green trenchcoat. The elegant, black fur lining… that long hair and pleasant smile… Everything sent shockwaves through her body just looking at him. Her usual calmness was incinerated by a roiling ocean of shifting emotions, vying for control on her psyche. Though he was far away, she quivered visibly in his presence, which caused Arjuna and Sita to gaze at her with upmost concern.

"…Professor Lev…?" Anishka managed to voice through the air with magecraft.

The man merely bowed politely, and allowed his smile to grow. "Ah, Miss Sharma! How's your fathe-"

Arjuna's lightning arrow tore straight through Lev's head, turning the previously occupied space into a fine, black mist. The corpse collapsed to the ground, but the demons didn't move. Content, Arjuna's firm, yet ferocious, glare softened as Anishka's body was wracked by a sob. Sita had quickly dematerialized her bow to try and sooth the quivering master. Though her eyes welled with tears, her visage was consumed by anger as she gazed forward.

Without a head, the corpse stood up. A mist of sickly purple formed and solidified quickly above the neck. Lev's head reformed with a pop, and a new top hat rematerialized in one hand. His smile was gone, but his expression was calm as he stared to Arjuna. "Have you no manners, servant? I was just talking."

" **You fucking murderer! Why would you betray humanity!?"** Anishka roared, making Hector turn back to her in shock. It was rare she ever let her composure erode to this extent, but in the face of her father's murderer, her usual collected nature evaporated like water in a desert. Still, she remembered Dantes' advice. This anger would not control her, but she would set it free for this man.

"I see… so he perished too then… Pity. He wasn't a target of importance, but that's peanuts. Humanity was doomed to fall anyway," Lev stated plainly, which caused another sob to tear through the master. He finally smiled, making Arjuna's eyes turn to fire. "Ah… but to think we'd meet again like this, little Annie, or should I say…  _Master_  Annie? I suppose it's only fair I could answer that one little question for you. You and your father were always so polite."

A holographic screen was forged by Anishka's wrist device. Da Vinci and Roman's blue-tinted images appeared, but glared at Lev. Roman frowned, "We would like to know that as well, Lev. You've done so much for Chaldea, and yet… Did you get so close to us just to destroy mankind? Is that why you made everything that helped Chaldea?"

Though she was furious with Lev, that tiny, optimistic thought rested in her mind too. Lev helped engineer Sheba and Chaldeas, which had been part of their saving grace through the whole ordeal. Was he corrupted into a demon pillar because of his importance? Was there a chance her blame was misplaced, even if her father's blood was still on his hands? At the very least, she wanted to know where his fall began.

Lev's laughter was not reassuring in the least. "How kind and naïve of you…! To worry over my honor even in the end of it all, but such concern is unnecessary!"

"Answer the question." Arjuna's voice was absolute, and the threat of his newly drawn arrow made it clear. Even if Lev could revive in this realm, she bet it still hurt. A lot.

"…Since when was I a subordinate of our Great King Goetia?" Lev asked again, followed by further cackling. "Why… such a thing was decided  **three** _ **thousand**_ years ago! From the beginning of this plan, we have spread our schemes in advance all over the world!"

Upon seeing Anishka and Roman's confusion, he smirked. "A lineage that becomes demon pillar after a hundred years… A lineage that becomes a demon pillar after five hundred years…! And a lineage that only becomes a demon pillar after a far flung thousand years! Amongst those I was merely the one in charge of the year 2016! Thusly we were sown across the earth, like seeds in the ground."

"So you were never a person to begin with…" Da Vinci surmised, but Lev merely shook his head.

"Not quite, Miss Genius! Our grand order goes deeper than that!" Lev happily explained as he grinned sinisterly and placed a hand over his heart. He turned his focus from Da Vinci to Anishka. The way he stared towards her made the master's anxiety freeze her limbs. "You see, we needed a way to possess an individual at the proper time… to supervise our given era without being noticed… So tell me… Have you ever wondered why it's proper magus tradition to pass down the magic crest?"

Da Vinci gasped, and Anishka stomach lurched. She understood immediately. Nausea made her knees tremble, but she managed to stand. Even as Sita braced her, she wanted to collapse and empty her stomach of its contents. Even more so, she had the dreadful urge to tear at the skin on her arm where her magic crest rested. That cluster, precious to her magus family line, possibly carried a way for her to be possessed by-!

Laughing maniacally, Lev shouted. "And so we persisted and survived through the bloodlines and magic crests! One by one, we awakened until I, the final supervisor, was told that our preparations were  **ready** …! …But yet there was a  _miscalculation_  called Chaldea."

The man suddenly sobered up, and gazed to them with fist-clenching ferocity. "…We cannot fathom how, but I was ultimately to blame. One surviving master… two more crowned… over a hundred servants… All because I let  **one**  imposter slip through  _ **my**_  watch!"

* * *

 **-•===ЯΞΞΞ[**   **V**   **]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

"Even so, your setbacks did little. Everything remains roughly as scheduled… though you resolved the singularities with unanticipated speed," Goetia answered calmly. "…This is not going as it should have."

"No plan survives first contact with the enemy," Iskandar recited with a small smirk. "You underestimated our military efficiency."

Shuten let out a sultry giggle, which sent a comfortable wave of confidence through the force. Goetia looked mostly unperturbed. "…Underestimated? Perhaps… but it's hard to take you humans seriously when your preparations included relishing in luxury as the world burns."

"Then you could see into Chaldea," Tamamo reaffirmed as two of her mirrors flew into a preparatory position.

"Yes. We saw all of it… and it disgusted us," Goetia stated firmly as its presence grew heavier. "…Why? Why do you appear to take this situation so lightly? The  **extinction**  of humanity? Where did that fear of our invasion go? Where was the fear of ultimate failure?"

"We were always wary of the worst. That's why we prepared heavily for it," Siegfried countered, but Goetia turned to him incredulously.

"It was far less than we fathomed should be appropriate. Do you not fear for your existence? Do you not fear for your ever-fleeting lives? Is it not human nature to fear the end?" Goetia's voice boomed over the air, drowning out the distant battle and putting their team on edge. "What we scryed was no lie. Relaxing… Lounging… Most actions were questionable. Your motivations were confusing. How are you blinded to the gravity of your fate?"

"We never underestimated you, but we weren't going to let that fear control us!" Gabrielle shouted back. "We're just that confident we were going to end your spiteful plan to burn the surface of the planet!"

"…Is that what you thought our plan was?" The tone of the beast's voice was filled with disbelief. "Is Chaldea so blinded by its lackadaisical tendencies? Certainly, that light band can easily incinerate the surface of the world, but what would we get out of such a  _meaningless_  gesture? Do you think we would have gone to such lengths to perform such a simple act?"

Gabrielle and Gudao shared a confused glance with each other, but Goetia's sudden, booming laughter startled them. "Why are humans so utterly foolish!? The energy of the rings surpasses anything on Earth because they are  _you!_ That light band is the amalgamation of all the energy on the planet!"

"…Flame blankets the surface of the earth, burning up all life and all civilization, turning them into residual spiritrons to be extracted…" El-Melloi concluded swiftly, and Ereshkigal quickly looked to him in surprise. Dantes' narrowed eyes glanced between the black-haired man and the beast. The caster narrowed his own. "So that's it… Humanity isn't your target. We're just a means to an end. The rings are being used as an energy converter."

"We're just fuel to him?" Ereshkigal inquired. Gudao narrowed his eyes and confirmed Holmes' theories back then were right.

The beast destroyed any lingering doubt with a simple nod.

* * *

 **-•===ЯΞΞΞ[**   **VI**   **]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

Lev jabbed a finger towards them within the small side screen. "… _ **You**_ , Roman! We were friends, yet I believe you played me a fool! You tricked me with perceived incompetence!"

"You wouldn't have been able to see through him anyway," Da Vinci firmly defended with a staunch glare of her own. "After all, he didn't put any trust into anyone until I was summoned to Chaldea."

"…What did you say?" Lev asked incredulously, and even Roman turned to her in surprise.

"Although Romani is just an average person, if there is one point at which he surpasses any genius like me, it would be his perseverance!" Da Vinci firmly declared. "He didn't understand the reason, who the enemy was, or if it might happen… but just like that, believing solely in what he saw in a dream of humanity's crisis, he threw away his entire life to pursue it!"

Shakespeare's pen wrote frantically as he tried to record two developments at once, but Roman's eyes were drawn to the person beside him as she spoke without hesitation. "He continued to wait, believing that things that could not happen would one day occur. He couldn't let the enemy discover that he had become aware… And so he talked to nobody about it! Because he did not know what would come in useful when the time came, he made the effort to learn everything that he could… that was the decade that Romani Archiman spent! A hell of freedom without even a minute of rest!"

Those days of endless paranoia and concern fluttered through his mind. Compared to now, that had been a true living hell. Temptation to abandon a blind pursuit was everywhere, yet he had persevered. He'd made his way here with his former master, and first friend, but couldn't even trust  _him_  with this last revelation. It had been a painful secret, and a grueling mission, but it had all proven true. His endeavors were not a fruitless waste of time.

He stared at Da Vinci, who had been his only port in the storm for so long. He came to trust her, and her alone, and he was glad he did. Even with all her hard words, teasing threats, and occasional abuse, he was glad for all the wonderful things she did for his sake. "No one would ever find out unless he wanted them to! For he himself is an idiot who constantly underestimates his own capabilities, thinking that he is garbage or trash!"

"I, uh… don't think I'm that bad…" he grumbled, as she smiled apologetically at him.  _'I was just appreciating you too…'_

Lev scoffed. "…It no longer matters. I will be correcting my mistakes, as planned."

For some reason, Roman didn't like the sound of that.

He quickly glanced to the main monitor as Goetia took two sudden steps forward towards the edge of its landing.

* * *

 **-•===ЯΞΞΞ[**   **V** **II**   **]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

"Humans are pitifully worthless creatures… but that is merely our factual observation. We hold no ill will to the disappointment that is humanity. There is only one Earth, so there is no other way to harvest our energy," Goetia declared without doubt. "Create a singularity… divide the flow of history… and reject front and back the connections of the time in between! From the present to the past, it can be squeezed almost inexhaustibly!"

Though Joan was visibly angry at the revelation, Dantes remained calm beside her. "But where do you prosper? A bountiful harvest must be used to feed something. What is the true climax of this play?"

It answered without any hesitation. "To reach the supreme position, which shall allow us to right the wrong of death… to remove its concept entirely."

"Death is a natural process married to life," King Hassan rumbled in disagreement.

"The premise of  _Life must have an End_  is illogical insanity whose only yield is eternal suffering. This planet was forged as a  **mistake** ," Goetia countered evenly, yet bellowed. "We shall go to the beginning to fix that… back to the time of genesis! …A voyage four-point-six billion years into the past, to the moment where this sector's 'celestial body' was born, where we will capture all of the energies involved! We shall become the new celestial body to forge what is ideal with our gifted wisdom!"

"Goetia wants to restart all of creation…" Gudao mumbled as Mashu tensed up. It all made sense now. To travel back so far would not be such an easy task; Getting leyshifted back to Babylonia had required extreme precision and energy. To return to genesis would undoubtedly require significantly more. The thought of all the calculations made Gudao's head spin, but what scared him was that Goetia had no doubt assembled his plan  _exactly_. Intelligent was now a grossly unfit description for this beast.

"If all of human history from 1000 BC to 2016 CE is converted into mana, that will be sufficient energy to leap back to this planet's birth," the beast concluded easily. "Humanity shall serve as our propulsion system once it is activated with the first imaginary noble phantasm, Ars Nova."

"…Imaginary, he said," Enkidu mumbled quietly, though Gudao was uncertain if Goetia heard or not. If he did, he didn't care. All that mattered was that they, and likely Chaldea, had heard. An imaginary noble phantasm, which meant Goetia likely didn't know what Ars Nova actually did despite his time with Solomon. They didn't either, but at least they weren't going to find out the hard way.

Their main threat now rested with the rings, which could vaporize them at any moment.

Gudao's mind was a multitasking machine through the whole discussion but he already revised their opening strike. They'd chosen very specific craft coins to boost perception and evasion for the servants; They had no idea what they were up against, so they agreed on safety and precision beforehand. There was still no telling what this beast was capable of besides using the rings, so they had to strike it hard and fast. At the very least, control of the field and the beast's movements was an absolute necessity.

He began relaying telepathically,  _"Enkidu… Are you ready?"_

Goetia took two sudden steps forward towards the edge of its landing, which caused the entire force to adopt battle stances. Gudao could hear his heart beating in his chest as Mashu stepped back closer to him and Gabrielle. The beast's voice boomed, "We trust that removed your confusion, humans? Consider it a parting gift before we depart on our promised pilgrimage."

The beast's eye turned to Gabrielle as Fou quickly clambered up her shoulder. Gudao watched thankfully as Goetia fell silent. Time was bought for him to mentally dispatch more orders as it seemingly observed his best friend, or maybe their furry little friend; He couldn't tell. It made a noise, that Gudao thought was a skeptical scoff, as Fou growled at it. "It doesn't matter who assists you humans. Our victory is absolute. It was decided long before you even arrived."

Surprising the group, Goetia's voice turned frustrated. "Even so… your resilience is unfathomably frustrating. You lowly humans have achieved against impossible odds, and snatched victory from the most unpredictable angles."

"If we win against impossible odds, why did reveal your location to us? Run out of imploding singularities and other gimmicks?" Gabrielle taunted, but Goetia surprised them by chuckling.

"…No. It's because we're taking you seriously."

Mashu gasped as the ground began to shake.

* * *

 **-•===ЯΞΞΞ[**   **V** **III**   **]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

"Right on time…" Lev chuckled and crossed his arms, but his group made no motion to attack.

Anishka's eyes were darting around the singularity, searching for the source of the ominous rumbling and quakes. The sound of churning earth was joined by a low, sickly hiss in the distance. Arjuna and Sita kept their bows primed as the picket of Chaldean Servants braced for any incoming attack. While confusion reared its ugly head, Lev's group remained calm and patient.

The holographic screen was abuzz with activity as Roman and Da Vinci barked orders on the screen. By the amount of chaos, they had no proper readings eithe- The inventor's face turned deadly serious. "Roman! The scanners are confirming movement to the north! Another island is forming!"

She knew where to look immediately. Anishka's eyes snapped forward, staring through the unusual space of the singularity and towards the central throne isle. Behind it, a slither of tendrils shot from the tips of the original horseshoe. They tied themselves together where they met, forming a complete circle as a final, ruined island shimmered into existence at their meeting point.

The island glowed with energy, and a ritual circle formed at its heart. Even at her distance, Anishka could see the feint outline of a new demon pillar surge from the ground. Panic raced through her mind at the sight; Chaldea had misread the signatures. If Lev was here, and another pillar just appeared out there, then how many other pillars were in hiding? Had only some combined? What if  _none_  combined and these pillars were just strengthened by another power sourc-

Lev laughed heartily, clapped, and pointed to her. "That looks of realization! You understand now, don't you? Humanity never stood a chance!"

The distant pillar flashed with light, and Anishka's fears were quickly realized as Rama gasped loudly. The central island floating within the newly completed circle flickered with light. In a crackle of magenta electricity, the malevolent, purple barrier had returned. Gudao and Gabrielle's strike force was now isolated from any outside support… but that was just the tip of her worries.

As the Control Room overflowed with growing activity, Roman panicked. "Anishka! The situation is escalating! We're sending Ozymandias' team over!"

* * *

 **-•===ЯΞΞΞ[**   **IX**   **]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

"The barrier…!" Marie cried out as the nearby servants, Sanson and Mozart, gazed to the throne isle. The nearby magenta-colored demon pillar, Orias, hummed in its routine restoration process. The small respite from the demon hordes allowed them to gaze at the distant development… perhaps too long for Medea's liking. She wasn't one to simply let a new development break her guard… not again, at least.

She glanced around quickly from her aerial position, staff grasped and ready to direct spells. Mordred's group at the next closest demon pillar were handling everything fine. Arturia's was restoring, just like theirs. A precursory, but scrutinizing, glance proved the other three seemed to be under Chaldea's control.  _'Then the new demon pillar is the lone cause.'_

Her wrist-mounted comms device, given to her temporarily as leader of this small force, remained silent; It was a potential backup communication in case telepathy was prevented. She hoped the silence of both was just because Chaldea was organizing. A bright flash of light near the beachhead caused her to snap her attention that way, but the sight of more Chaldean servants only reassured her. At least panic and chaos wasn't gripping everyone.

"Medea? Any news?" Vlad asked from far below. She shook her head. As much as she wanted to ask, she didn't want to flood the telepathic airways; The other servants remained disciplined in that regard too. As a conglomeration of so many different servants, their unison still never ceased to impress her.

"Nothing yet. We'll keep suppressing this pill-"

Anishka's panicked, telepathic voice rang through her head… and likely everyone else's too.  _"All servants, be advised! Sensors-… picked up-… enemies! It was-… ruse! The-… were in hid-…! I re-…-at, the …-ars …-re-… hi-...!"_

"Something's interfering with my link! Is it the same for anyone else?" Martha asked by the resurrecting pillar. Phantom of the Opera frowned and nodded his head nearby. With a small scoff, she grasped her staff fiercely as the ground began to shake again. "Oh, what now!?"

An otherworldly hum echoed through the air. With a crack of thunder and accompanying flash, the surrounding air took on an unusually crimson hue. The once eerie, but picturesque stars looked far more menacing in their reddish glow. Rippling waves danced among them, and Medea remained confused at the development… until it dawned on her. She glanced around from all angles at her altitude, and felt the newfound energy that lingered in the air even as the ground continued to shake.

The stars didn't change… something just got in their way.

There was a new field erected, possibly one of the largest bounded fields she'd ever seen. It was likely hampering communications with Anishka, but she felt this barrier had to have more purpose than that; They were dealing with an intelligent beast who had access to Solomon's abilities. In the few seconds that passed since the barrier rose, her sharpened mind shot back to Anishka's warning.

The message might have been scattered differently for everyone, but the words she heard had placed her guard higher than the heavenly bodies themselves. Her eyes snapped to the shaking ground as several large, demonic circles appeared across the ruined landscape. As they hummed and glowed an ominous crimson, Medea shouted out,  **"Scatter! It's an ambush! Ambus-!"**

Her eyes widened as seven other magenta-colored pillars erupted from the ground. In her peripherals, she could see it wasn't just their isle. Pillars erupted from their hiding spots at the other dedicated nodes, ready to reinforce their besieged brethren. It had all been a convincing ruse… The perceived power of Orias had been a ruse this entire time! She didn't care how the ruse was set up, only that they were now in the teeth of a bear trap!

Medea's lips were a blur as she channeled her attack. Circle after circle appeared in the air, as fast as she could possibly chant. As they formed, they quickly fired. Dozens of circles fired just as many beams before she quickly rebuilt them. Her scattered and rushed bombardment attempted to help her terribly outmatched companio- Marie screamed.

Her attention snapped to the French Queen as darkened chains, shrouded with malevolent, crimson mists, lassoed her glass horse's legs. She tumbled over the fallen steed as it shrieked, shattering against the ground as more chain burst from the ruined earth. Medea redirected her bombardment, but she was not fast enough. The chains grew far too close to the rider; Her bombardment would put her at risk, but if she didn't fire, the chains would ensnare her.

But the decision was lifted from her hands: Mozart pushed Marie out of the way, and became the first servant skewered through the limbs by the new threat.

* * *

 **-•===ЯΞΞΞ[**   **X**   **]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

" **What do you mean there's another barrier!?"**  Roman's holographic figure yelled as the Control Room, from what Anishka could see, descended into further chaos. Even Da Vinci looked panicked, and that did not do well for her own collapsing nerves. Still, Anishka took deep breaths to steady her roiling emotions. She was in charge while Gudao and Gabrielle were fighting the beast, and she needed to be of sound mind.

" _Anyone!? Can anyone out there here me!?"_  Anishka's telepathic voice rang out once more, but there was still no response from the crimson-hued battles that raged within the barrier. Her worry grew, but her controlled breathing was forging new stability. She needed to have self-control, first and foremost.

' _Precision is key. Information is gold. Time is precious. Actions should not be rushed,'_ she mentally reminded, bringing herself to a calmer state to properly analyze the situation.

Unlike the barrier around the central isle, this one was crimson in color, and encompassed the entire circle. It likely prevented anything outside from entering, including communication; A barrier of this size must take a lot of energy to maintain, so it  _could_  be weaker than the first one. Its characteristics were unknown, so they needed a proper test. A quick, hard swing should give a good reference point. Even though the final strike force was mighty, Chaldea purposefully held plenty of heavy hitters in reserve.

"Cavalry! We must act fast! Our friends are in danger!" she called out, and was answered without doubt.

A shower of golden sunbeams appeared above them as Ozymandias called forth his golden barge. Several flashes filled the sky as Drake's armada and Blackbeard's flagship took to the skies besides the ornate, Egyptian vessel. Time felt painfully slow as her gaze shifted between the preparing cavalry and the distant chaos. Every node looked like a vastly different battlezone, writhing with nine pillars each, save for one of the closest; Lev did not turn into Flauros to join them.

As if to renew her anxiety and uncertainty, he patiently waited before them with his demon horde, only a few hundred in number. He smiled from within the safety of the barrier, "Good effort, as always… but ultimately useless. Anything Chaldea could have done was useless."

"I'll stay optimistic," she countered as she glanced to Romulus and Nitocris, two of the reinforcing servants. All of them carried extra bags, which held many more golden apples; Every deployed servant had a few on their person, but each one of this cavalry group carried a dozen. They were just as capable as a siege breaking team as cavalry, so that they could hopefully break through any defense to aid beleaguered allies.

It was time to prove that, but something made her hesitate. Lev was far too confident and composed, even at the sight of so many powerful warriors. By their likely shared conscience as demon pillars, she was willing to bet he was well aware of the strength of the mustered servants. Still, he stood confident behind the barrier and gazed towards them. He tilted his head with a smile, "Oh? Not going to bring any more to our little party?"

Based on his demeanor, she slightly revised her initial action. He seemed taunting… like he wanted them to try their hardest. Their allies were in danger, and as much as she wanted to give full effort, they had limited resources. If they used all of it and the besieged servants were in dire straits, they needed enough apples to help resuscitate. Management was crucial, but she still needed a good test… so maybe not all at once first.

"Arjuna. Please fire one of your blessed arrows at the barrier." Anishka turned to him, and he nodded quietly.

In a blinding display of light and lightning, Arjuna levitated briefly as he drew back his bow. He was a surging star above the beachhead before he let his shot loose. The crackle of the arrow roared across the distance like a mighty comet. The burst of electrified, charged prana, a familiar devastator attack to the Chaldean forces, careened towards the barrier. Its explosive strength had enough power to vaporize an entire city block.

Lev merely tilted his head as the shot slammed into the massive blockade, but instantly fragmented rather than exploding brilliantly. The floating remnants of charged prana drifted towards the barrier instead of dissipating, then broke apart like small crimson fireworks as they came into contact with the barrier. Arjuna seemed taken back by the display, just like several others.

Anishka's eyes narrowed. "That's an absorption field, isn't it?"

"Very perceptive! As expected of a medical student!" Lev clapped happily. "As I said… futile, though please feel free to throw as much as you want at it! We're going to collect all your energy one way or another!"

* * *

 **-•===ЯΞΞΞ[**   **X** **I**   **]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

"…This was almost too easy," Goetia rumbled from his spot on the landing. "A bit disappointing, but we prefer less struggle."

Gabrielle looked around in horror and panic alongside the rest of their group. Scathach's usually composed demeanor had cracked, and even she showed a glint of anxiety swirling in her confused eyes. A nervous Merlin and a shocked Lord El-Melloi II, Chaldea's best advisers, only increased her heart rate. The only isles of confidence remained mostly unperturbed. Gilgamesh and King Hassan still stared with scrutiny at Goetia, and Gudao was still mostly composed.

Goetia stared at them and chuckled. "Ah… That's more like it. There's some of that pathetic fear that humans inevitably fall into."

No. She wouldn't let herself be crippled by fear. She was used to putting up a brave face, even as terror or uncertainty tore at her insides. Fear was something she was good at suppressing, more so than any other emotion… so she'd do it here in the way she always had: She yelled, "If you think we're defeated, you've got another thing coming, you jackass!"

Goetia turned to her, and she felt herself shiver under the central eye's powerful gaze. "Your vulgar words are meaningless. Accept your fate with dignity."

"Maybe you shouldn't underestimate us, or did you forget we're great at pulling off the impossible?" Gudao countered calmly, and it made Gilgamesh smirk. Gabrielle turned to her best friend and smiled upon seeing the confidence in his eyes. Even though they'd been separated from their support, and contact was impossible, Gudao remained as steady as his element. It boosted her confidence as his telepathic message echoed into her mind.  _"Let's do this."_

As one, just like they planned, Gabrielle and Gudao's bodies flickered with flaring magic circuits. The energy surged within her, bolstered in strength by the battlesuit as she thrust her arm upward with her best friend. Their spells activated, and the enchanting wave washed over the surrounding servants, causing their strength to surge. They both winced, but repeated the spell a second time, charging the servants even further; The battlesuit took most of the powerful enchantment's burdens.

At the same time, Enkidu's eyes snapped to Goetia, as his palm held against the ground tensed ever so slightly. Golden chains, nearly two dozen in number, flared from the ground around the throne. Before anyone could blink, they lashed out towards Goetia and seized control of his limbs. Several more wrapped around his torso… and yet the eye seemed completely fine with the developments.

Medb seemed to miss its composure as she yelled, "What's the matter!? Didn't see that coming!?"

As Iskandar and Medb's chariots took to the skies, joined by Quetzalcoatl and her mount, the group spread out. Mashu and Merlin pulled Gudao and Gabrielle further back as Scathach took the lead. She charged up the steps towards Goetia as her prototype Gae Bolg hummed with crimson prana. It spun in her hands as she leapt into the air and twirled. Gabrielle smirked as she froze in a throwing stance, then hurled her weapon with all the force of a supernova.  **"Gae Bolg Alternative!"**

A blinding light surrounded Goetia as the spear made contact. The ground shook as the explosion consumed the area, but Chaldea was far from through. Gabrielle glanced before them as Siegfried finished channeling energy in front of them. He chanted quietly, but firmly, then opened his eyes and swept his famous blade downward. The orange prana that wreathed the sword ignited spectacularly. "Fall!  **Balmung!"**

The wave of twilight energy surged towards the throne, tearing up the ground in its wake as Scathach twirled safely over it. As her lance shot back to her hand, the stairs were engulfed with the powerful energy of Siegfried's noble phantasm, rupturing the ground with its harnessed might. Gabrielle kept a hand over her eyes, and though she smiled, she knew not to drop her guard. Tiamat had mythical defenses, so another beast was not to be underestimated.

Nevertheless, she remained confident these two attacks would easily prepare Goetia for more of the punishment they had in sto- "We'd rather the throne remained unscathed."

Goetia's calm voice, even amongst the torrent of energy that consumed it, shocked Gabrielle. As her squinted eyes gazed into the fading maelstrom, she found herself gasping with Mashu. Merlin and Gudao's mouths fell open as Goetia came into view, completely untouched. Even worse, the throne around him looked fairly unmarred, though the ground looked far more devastated.

What truly bewildered her, was Enkidu's chains were nowhere to be seen. She shot telepathically,  _"Enkidu… Your ensnarement…?"_

" _They should have held through all of that just fine!"_  Enkidu answered with equal disbelief. Thankfully, he had quickly reforged his chains so Chaldea could continue it's attack. The last thing they needed was Goetia going on the offen-

Enkidu's golden chains rattled as they reached Goetia, but as they tried to ravel themselves around it, they broke down into a slither of golden prana. They dissolved and fragmented into smaller bits, before being absorbed directly into Goetia's torso. The eye merely gazed around slowly at the incoming energy before rumbling, "A fine ability, but not something that will work on us."

Shuten and King Hassan disappeared and reappeared in a blink. The Oni's blade, dripping with poison, swung for the torso of the tall beast, just as King Hassan's wrathful weapon thundered towards its neck. Gabrielle gasped as Shuten's blade clanked harmlessly off Goetia's eye, and the poison sizzled and evaporated against its skin. King Hassan's blade faired no better: It was stopped completely against its neck.

Before Goetia could counterattack in any way, King Hassan vanished in a pillar of azure flames while Shuten backflipped away. Merlin and Lord El-Melloi II quickly chanted, bolstering the group's energy even further with their own unique magecraft. Tamamo's spell tags exploded at his legs, encasing them with enchanted ice; They swiftly melted away. Joan's black flames erupted from the ground, but they dissipated quickly and were absorbed by the calm beast.

Finally, Altera twirled her sword and pointed the hilt to the sky. A red laser fired into the air, summoning a set of familiar conceptual rings.  **"Tear drop, Photon Ray!"**

Their intricate patterns hummed and spun, before a bright beam of light surged down their core. The beam grew exponentially and basked the throne with ethereal light before it slammed into- Altera gasped as the beam's intensity faded rapidly, making it appear more as a giant spotlight centered on Goetia. It too, completely collapsed into a shower of white prana orbs that slowly drifted towards the beast, who hadn't moved an inch during the whole assault.

Gabrielle's mouth hung open with shock and dismay. Tiamat was conceptually immortal, but even she took physical damage when assaulted by powerful attacks. With Goetia… not even King Hassan's blade could even scratch this beast! A conceptual strike from a former Grand Servant failed to penetrate it!

' _But why!?'_

Did it have to do with this space? Ars Paulina allowed the lesser demons and pillars to revive themselves instantly. Did that mean it granted Goetia far more potent abilities? The beast merely rumbled with what sounded like amusement as it stared at them. "Do you understand yet…? Your attacks… your noble phantasms… All of them are meaningless against us. We were shocked when you managed to defeat Tiamat, but we… I… Demon King Goetia, stand on another level… Before you is  **true** immortality!"

" _Don't let him get to you! There has to be a way!"_  Gudao reassured through the telepathic link as lines of crimson red appeared shot into the sky. Gabrielle allowed herself a small smile as she glanced to Gilgamesh, who held the key of his treasury before him. His face was deathly serious, and the lines of red quickly collapsed so his greatest weapon would be prepared. Surely Ea could breach Goetia's defenses, or at least the shield. Maybe if Arjuna, Karna, and-

"This was interesting, Chaldea… but the fun must end," Goetia calmly noted. Before Gabrielle could even fathom what could come next, the beast calmly raised its hand.

An iridescent magic circle quickly forged itself into the air, and similar ones started appearing under servants. Gabrielle hurriedly looked at her feet, but their little group of four were spared. The others, including a now incredulous Gilgamesh, seemed glued to the circles as they tried to wrench their feet free. Even the flying riders were frozen in midair as their mounts thrashed to try and break free from the circles.

All of them at once… caught with just a simple raise of its hand.

Dantes, who could move at the speed of thought, had also been seized with ease. He growled, forged a blast of cursed prana in one hand, and rocketed it towards Goetia. It was a meaningless act that was simply absorbed like all the rest. Ereshkigal, in her own angered panic, rattled a tiny cage to follow his lead. Two large, shadowy heads, the dinosaur-like skeletal masses of unique Garula spirits, broke through the flanking earth of the throne to attack Goetia.

They howled in torment as they drew near, before they collapsed into darkened orbs to be absorbed by Goetia. As blades from the Gate of Babylon pinged harmlessly off his toughened body, the beast merely breathed calmly. "…We have no use for you flies. Kindly depart."

To Gabrielle's horror, the magic circle before Goetia vanished, as did the caught servants.

* * *

 **-•===ЯΞΞΞ[** **X** **II**   **]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

Shuten grunted as she slammed into the ground and tumbled. Her vision was blurry, and her ears rang loudly. Still, she quickly forced herself to her feet to gain her bearings. The rugged ground was spinning, and the crimson hued sky threw her perspective temporarily off. She glanced around quickly, but even in her dazed state, she saw the attack coming; An Oni's instincts were not to be underestimated.

" **Shuten…!"**  That voice! With surprise invading her facial features, she glanced around for the source as she gained her bearings. She didn't know which made her gasp louder, the sight of so many demon pillars in one area…

…or the Chaldean servants chained and pinned to the ground by the very threat she was dodging. Her resolve bolstered upon seeing Kintoki among their number. He reached for her weakly as his body glowed with a sickly purple aura. Chains constricted his muscular form, and two had pierced an arm and leg to keep him secure. Beneath him, a dark, demonic circle hummed and pulsed, making him groan in pain. "Don't… let them… catch you…!"

" **Sakata! Mine blade shall release you all!"**  Shuten cried out, but a demon pillar's eyes quickly glanced her way. She was forced further away. She growled angrily,  **"Impede mine advance no further!"**

" **No!**  Just run!" Tomoe cried out before she gasped in pain; The archer, chained by the base of a demonic pillar, seemed to be a more recent capture. Shuten's eyes narrowed upon seeing one pulsing chain had pierced her torso. "They're… They're draining our energy!"

That made all the more reason to free them, but she couldn't risk herself either. This was tricky. If she weren't in the assassin container, her weakest, she would be much better suited to taking on these threats. As powerful as she was now, she wished for even more strength. Since it wouldn't come, she had to fight smart if she was going to save her dear companions, and time was ticking if they were being sapped of magical energy.

She glanced around as she evaded sickly chains and slashed at others, hoping to find aid from somewhere. To her growing dismay, the sights from the other pillars were no better. All she could see were scattered members of the final strike force, all evading or trying to free their comrades… but some were missing.

* * *

 **-•===ЯΞΞΞ[** **X** **III**   **]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

" **How dare that beast!"**  Gilgamesh roared as Ea spun in his hands. Anishka could only stare at the back of the King of Heroes as his most powerful weapon shook in his grasp. A frustrated Enkidu and Ozymandias tried, in vein, to calm their friend as he glared towards Lev and his host of demons. Even Nightingale was having issues holding an infuriated Dantes back as he stared viciously towards a specific pillar.

Only a minute had passed, yet the situation grew far worse than she could have imagined. From what they concluded, Goetia had forcibly removed the strike force servants from the throne area, and scattered them in separate areas. Judging by King Hassan's and Altera's newfound presence, among several others from the strike force, it wasn't just random either: The biggest threats to him had been thrown back to the beachhead.

Arjuna and Sita had gotten a visual identification on nearly all of the other strike force servants who had accompanied Gudao and Gabrielle; These supposed 'insignificant threats' to Goetia were thrown into the second barrier. Only Mashu and Merlin were missing, which meant at best, they were the last ones defending her two friends from a Beast of Calamity. As much as she wanted to believe, she knew that wasn't going to be enough.

Her hands quivered as Lev laughed and clapped. "Ah, wonderful! That means it's time to do my part!"

Roman's hologram, though visibly holding back his panic, glared towards Goetia. "You're going to send them falling?"

"…Honestly? No. We did think of that, but our final road map felt  **much**  more appropriate," Lev answered calmly. His smile grew rather calm and sincere. It was the kind of smile she'd seen far too often, but it held so much more deviousness now then it ever had. That's when his eyes opened, and a magic circle appeared below Lev and his accompanying lesser demons. "…But you'll witness that soon enough, dear Roman."

To Anishka's unencumbered horror, she heard the unmistakable sound of Chaldea's warning alarms.

* * *

 **-•===ЯΞΞΞ[** **X** **IV**   **]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

"What's happening!? Why are the alarms going off!?" Roman asked in a panic, but he was afraid to find out.

Basked in crimson light, Chaldea's warning klaxons blared loudly within the Control Room. Roman, though stunned and reeling, gazed out the window towards Chaldeas. Its surface blinked red and flashed in tandem with the dull warning lights. He glanced over to the monitors as the holographic feed was cut off. These past few seconds felt like several lifetimes as they cycled between different views in Chaldea's public surveillance system. Everywhere they turned, Chaldea appeared as it should, yet the red glow of the halls fueled Roman's thirst for an answe-

"Unknown signatures have been detected within Chaldeas' magnetic field!" a robot beeped as its mechanical arms moved swiftly across the keys. As Tesla burst into the room, the robot beeped in further alarm. "The perimeter is breached! Foreign entities manifesting within the corridors!"

Roman, gripped by absolute fear, did not hesitate.  **"Engage maximum security protocols! Get the remaining servants into the halls before they get-"**

Roman never got to finish that sentence before a flash among the many screens of the Control Room stunned him. With his heart pounding in his chest, he dared to drop his hastily raised arm. Squinted eyes and dazed vision stared into the control room as an unnatural cold swept across his skin. Barely a second passed before a scream welcomed their newly arrived guests. He didn't even have time to get his bearings before Da Vinci tackled him to the ground. She spun her staff into position and let it whirl.

The released blast of focused prana decapitated one of many lesser demons that had arrived.

* * *

 **-•===ЯΞΞΞ[** **XV**   **]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

Chaldea's airways were filled with telepathic relays from besieged servants.

" _Primary Generator Room has been breached!" "Backup generator four needs assistance!" "They're trying to attack the summoning chamber!"_

Chaos engulfed the halls of Chaldea as hundreds of lesser demons went about their given tasks. The outnumbered servants darted through the halls, sometimes shifting into spirit form to traverse the corridors faster; They were far stronger than the demons, but there were just too many. Though most employees made it out of the initial attack thanks to the escorting servants, others weren't so lucky. In all the anarchy, there was no time to mourn as emotions ran wild.

"They're down that hallway too! We can't get to the bunker!" "Oh fuck they're everywhere!" "Run then! Do what we were taught!"

A young woman screamed as she sprinted down the hallway, clutching the reinforced pole for dear life. She turned bask as the closest demon ran her down, claws raised and ready to strike. Even gripped with fear, she thrust the pole back towards it. It slammed into the demon's face, making it flinch slightly; The interruption bought the employee time to run just a bit farther, but the demons were no normal enemy. In a fraction of a second, it was on the hunt again.

Separated from the servants and other employees, she wouldn't make it. However, it wasn't the demon that wound up killing her. A dense ball of magic, barely the size of a marble, tore through the center of her forehead. Her eyes fell blank faster than she crashed to the floor. The chasing demon halted as its companions caught up. It stared towards their current commander as Lev shook his head with a small frown.

"As if that stick would do anything…" he muttered. He glanced to the stopped demons, and his frown deepened. "If you have time to idle, you have time to support your allies at our targets. The King wants Chaldea's systems inoperable as soon as possible!"

With a demonic grunt, the three dozen minions quickly bolted down the hallway. Lev, satisfied with their obedience, allowed himself a small smirk and followed after them. It was disappointing that Chaldea had reinforced the structure so extraordinarily well. Sure the more fragile items would still break with time, but the lesser demons couldn't just tear through walls to get to their targets. He couldn't even mutate into his pillar form due to the rather effective reinforcement.

Perhaps it was just another begrudging tip of the hat he'd have to give those servants.

However, that was just a minor delay. Their forces outnumbered the remaining Chaldeans who hadn't been lured into the singularity. They'd win with time, and he'd get reinforcements if necessary. He doubted he'd have to do that, but the leyshift and summoning systems needed to be completely destroyed. Chaldea couldn't be allowed to resummon servants, nor attempt to retrieve their allies caught in the singularity. Their culmination… their King had deemed Chaldea too much of a threat, and took no further chances.

Even so, they had a specific way this needed to be completed. That didn't mean he couldn't have his own little walk down memory lane too. Just seeing that one employee's terrified face before her end had brought a bit of satisfaction into his heart. They were guaranteed to succeed with their devoted setup...

…so Lev could at least have a little fun during his redemption, right? No harm in that.

* * *

 **-•===ЯΞΞΞ[** **XVI**   **]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

Maybe it was the unbelievable speed that everything occurred that partially dazed her. Nearly fifteen minutes since they first started talking with Goetia… That's all the time it took for everything to go horribly wrong. She didn't even know what happened outside the barrier, nor did she believe her remaining friends did. She felt numb yet alive with uncertain terror, and its duality tore at her sanity like a butcher's cleaver on a fresh delivery.

Goetia jumped down from the landing. Its movement was unnaturally slow, as if gravity had no will over its form. It came to a soft landing at the foot of the stairs and gazed towards the remainder of Chaldea's strike force. It raised its hand to Merlin and asked, "Now that it's just us five… shall we begin?"

In a sudden dash, Merlin had separated himself from the masters, and aimed his staff towards Goetia. Its response was swift and calm. With a quick raise of its hand, it absorbed the focused, rainbow blast from Merlin's spell. While the remnants of the glittering dust faded into the air, a beam of sickly crimson light screeched through the sky. Gabrielle could only watch in horror as Merlin barely evaded a fatal blow.

He still screamed in agony and fell after his left arm was completely vaporized. Gabrielle panicked, "Merlin!"

"Don't get near me!" he grunted out as blood flowed from his wound. Fou barked as Mashu's legs tensed to- "Mashu! Sta- _ **AHH!**_ **STAY THERE! PROTECT THEM!"**

She glanced to Merlin. His crumpled form rested on the ground, and his staff remained out of his reach. Goetia's outstretched arm hummed with crimson energy as it prepared a new spell. It chanted, likely for a stronger attack, and Merlin chanted just as quickly as his remaining arm fumbled with his satchel. He bit his tongue, yelped, and cursed himself.

If Mashu couldn't do anything, she could!

A new beam fired, but Gabrielle was quicker. Her magic circuits flared with energy as she stretched her arm to Merlin. In a blink, he had disappeared. A piece of ruined column had replaced him, and it was incinerated by the force of Goetia's more powerful strike. Its eye glared towards Gabrielle and scoffed, but it quickly turned its arm back to the nearby Merlin… only two dozen meters away from them.

In her panic, she was only able to switch him with the nearest object her frightened mind could spot… which was only a handful of paces from where he fell. Goetia mused loudly, "That Chaldean trick is overused, and a mere inconvenience to me."

The aura around Goetia's arm replaced itself with a white magic circle at its massive finger tips. Though her magic circuits felt like lava, she outstretched her arm just as Gudao di- They were both too late. A column of white fire surged from beneath Merlin, covering him completely with its deafening roar. Mashu had to redirect her shield's facing to the column of flame. The heat raked at Gabrielle's face, and she squinted and cursed herself for her inability.

The bright flames died down seconds later, and Gabrielle dared to look. Her heart sank at the smoldered remains of the ground, and Merlin was nowhere in sight. She couldn't sense him anywhere, and she turned in a panic to Gudao and Mashu. The look on their faces told her enough; They'd lost Merlin. They were alone on this lone isle, with only Mashu as their protector... unless...!

Gabrielle thrust her hand into the air. "Scathach!"

The command seals on the back of her arm flared wildly with their released prana. One faded into a blurry outline, as she waited for a response... A response that would never come. She waited desperately for the mental ring of her friend's voice in her mind, but only silence smiled back. Goetia merely stared as she contemplated firing another command seal, but she buried that impulse.

It was obvious the command seal failed; They were completely cut off. Whether it was the barrier, Goetia's presence, or something else, Gabrielle wasn't sure. All she did know was the creeping feeling of dread that shook her knees and sent her confidence into an uncontrollable plummet. Goetia had robbed the masters of all their allies, and now she and her best friend only had Mashu to protect them from a numbered beast.

She'd never felt such profound turmoil in her mind… She felt guilt rattling her thoughts and mixing with growing terror. Anger, sadness, even pain... As much as she wanted to bat all of it away, it felt too heavy. Exhaustion and rampant emotion battered her resolve. It took all she had left just to stand before the overwhelming, panic-inducing presence of Beast I... and it just stared so calmly back the entire time.

She'd never felt so… absolutely _helpless_  before.

"The masters are nothing without their servants… and the servants vanish without their masters," Goetia rumbled as it turned its attention back to them. It eyed her specifically and raised its arm again. She felt an overwhelming, crippling terror she'd never felt before. Breathing felt impossible as adrenaline flooded her system. Time slowed, and his words felt slurred and incoherent in her mind. "Even before it was just Mashu, you were nothing before me… but you're not useless. Far from it... You're dangerous.  **Too**  dangerous."

Mashu was quick to act. She threw her free arm around Gudao, just as Fou leapt to the safety of Gudao's arm shield. She positioned herself in front of the frozen Gabrielle, who attempted to break from her ice. Her thoughts raced, but she couldn't find an answer to the problem amid her cluttered mind. Her impulses told her to run, to fight, to scream, to hide… Yet all she could do was stare forward at an intelligent beast, whose raised arm charged with prana.

" **Mashu!"**  Gudao cried out as Fou barked, and without hesitation, she opened her mouth to start the aria- Gabrielle felt prana tickle her skin.

She only blinked, but suddenly the warmth of her companion's backs was absent. They were nowhere in sight, yet her focus remained on Goetia. It seemed just a little different as its arm swung towards her. Then it registered, just as Mashu and Gudao's screams from nearby echoed into her chaos-filled mind. The angle of the stairs… the small differences of the ruined, scorched ground around her… the perspective of the entire place…

Goetia had teleported her away from the safety of Mashu's shield.

The fiery-spirited master blinked as her mind raced for an answer, but there would be none. Goetia's hand flashed with bright, iridescent energy as Mashu screamed something over its bright, deafening roar. Her vision was instantly filled with surrounding, blinding light. As if her mind had completely surrendered, she merely stared into the arresting brightness that enveloped her.

She didn't even have time to scream or accept her fate.


	3. Chapter 2: Searching for Hope

_Streaks of thin, white clouds crossed the skies, but did not hinder the noonday sun. A pair of blue jays chirped in a leafy oak before they spread their wings. They gently flew across the quaint park below them, and saved energy by catching the drafts of a pleasant breeze. They flapped and chirped happily, then briefly passed over one of the few park visitors._

_On a basketball court beside the sun-kissed playground, a young boy, barely seven years old, stared at his bloodied palm. The scrape leaked slowly with blood, and stung far more than he wanted. His lower lip quivered as he fought to hold back his tears. Fiercely, he rubbed his eyes with his free arm; The last thing he wanted was for his best friend to see him crying again. Gabrielle was so scary when she was mad!_

_Gudao sniffled, and the dam threatened to give way. The sound of the two bullies fleeing as Gabrielle chased them off did nothing to make him happy. His hand stung! His jeans were dirty, and he might have ruined his new red Elmo shirt! His sniffling amplified as footsteps charged towards him._

" _Are you okay!?" Gabrielle asked as she hurriedly took a seat in front of him; He averted his eyes so she wouldn't see the tears. The young magus in jeans and a white tank top was close enough that he could smell the citrus shampoo from her shoulder-length hair. Her being around made him uneasy in many ways, but it also made him feel warm. He liked being around her best when she wasn't mad._

_Gudao, with tear-stained eyes, swiftly wiped his tears with an arm before turning back. "I'm f-fi-"_

" _No you're not!" she shot back angrily, and he flinched. She quickly grasped his other hand, and examined his bloodied palm. Her eyes narrowed ferociously, "I should hit those stupid bullies until they need to go to a doctor!"_

" _P-Please d-don't," Gudao sniffled as Gabrielle gently pulled his arm towards her. He tried pulling his arm back, but Gabrielle held it firmly. "Ga-b-by! I'm fi-"_

" _When your mom sees the blood we're gonna be grounded!" the young, orange-haired magus pouted. "You can't let them bully you like that!"_

_He sniffled and sulked as the tears ran freely. Gabrielle glared at him, but it quickly softened. She frowned as she pulled out a handkerchief from her jeans. "I can't be with you all the time! You have to be brave too!"_

" _B-But I'm not s-strong l-like y-you…" he cried softly, then raised one arm to cover his eyes. She was always defending him. He was always weak. He didn't even know what to do when she wasn't there. He'd probably just run away again or find somewhere to hide._

_It was just too scary! They were bigger than him, and he wasn't a soldier hero like his dad. He wasn't a magical mage like his mom either. He was just a little boy who couldn't even hold onto his lunch money sometimes. He didn't know what to do besides cry…_

" _Then I'll help you be brave like me!" she countered as she gently tied the handkerchief around the wound. "You'll be super brave! And no one will be mean anymore!"_

_The sniffling boy looked at her, and she gave a cheezy grin to try and cheer him up. "Brave boys don't cry! We'll stop that! I'll make sure you'll never cry again!"_

_She was always doing nice things for him. So many kind words and fun times together… even if she could be mean when she was mad. Really, really mean. She wasn't mean like other mages his mom warned him about though; Her mom and dad were just as nice too. They were always concerned about him like his own mom and dad._

_Maybe one day they wouldn't have to anymore. He didn't want to be a crybaby forever. Being beaten up and bullied was bad, so maybe Gabby could help him stop it! Yea, that's it! Maybe he could be brave with her help, and he wouldn't have to cry anymore! He'd be super brave and strong one day, just like she said!_

_And maybe…! And maybe one day he'll be the one protecting his best friend when she was in need!_

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ Ω ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

_**Chapter 2: Searching for Hope** _

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ Ω ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

Time had finally slowed like he wished, but it was too late.

Like acid on the knife that stabbed through his heart, the seconds ticked by like agonizing minutes. He stared in stun disbelief, with his mouth hanging open. No words escaped as the towering inferno heated his face like a blistering furnace. Maybe it burned, but it felt cold. He was numbed with his denial over what had happened in his slowed state of mind. Motionless and speechless, he stared with hand outstretched at the slowly moving flames.

Flakes of cinder danced slowly before his eyes, but there was no beauty to be found in their waltz. He remained locked with the fire ever since that bright flash engulfed his vision. His distressed eyes stared disheartened into the column of flames that reached to the skies and twirled. Even still, he could see the frozen look of horror of his best friend before she was consumed.

It finally began, and it started with a shiver down his spine. Molten lava raced from his heart, and threatened to melt his legs. His mouth stuttered and his eyes quivered as time seemed to release him from its cage. The column of fire weakened, but not faster than Gudao's inner composure. To others, he was distraught. Within, he struggled to hold himself afloat in growing, turbulent waters.

Gudao finally found his voice, and yelled in agony.

* * *

 **-•===ЯΞΞΞ[** **III**   **]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

" **GABBY!"**

Gudao's horrified voice tore through the air as the column of white fire extinguished itself. The silence following the roar, coupled with the emptiness of the scorched ground, made the frozen Mashu pant for breath. She gripped the shield tightly in her hands as she stared with Gudao towards the impact sight, all while Goetia merely turned to them quietly. The beast, with all its might and prowess, gazed blankly towards them.

It could see the heartbroken disbelief in the young shielder's eyes. As predicted, it watched as the first of her tears sprang from her eyes as Gudao placed a hand over his mouth to stifle any further agony. He groaned into his hand as his own anguish surfaced, but Goetia kept his focus on Mashu. How many times had she cried for the loss of another just within arm's reach? How many more would it take before she finally understood the pure beauty of their righteous mission?

All of these humans were fighting to protect tragedy. They fought for an existence plagued by despair and an inescapable end… for what? To lament when inevitable fate arrives for them or those closest? Humanity disgusted and confused Goetia with their finite existences. Yet, even so, they've proven the most resilient of cockroaches.

Against all odds, they manage to find a way, and their collective would no longer take chances. An unstable singularity to cull their forces… invincible opponents to halt their advance… widespread warfare that should have torn reality asunder… Countless, energy-efficient sabotage attempts and many foolproof pieces had been brushed aside like autumn leaves, clearing their strides forward. It was infuriating, but Goetia would not let anger cause any more mistakes. They had to act carefully this time, for this was their best chance to set things right.

The beast's gaze shifted to Gudao, who had done far more than he ever anticipated a weak magus could. Even now, in his distraught and shaken state, Goetia was not ready to underestimate him again. He and the other Chaldeans had proven to be very dangerous when left unchecked. Any gap could, and would, be exploited against them.

All those visions they witnessed of their improbable victory must be taken seriously. Those glimpses of Chaldea standing victorious were no longer a joke to them, but a warning… Chaldea was somehow going to summon that worthless Solomon in this singularity, and he would be their trojan horse. Thus, their collective had to ensure that would never happen. They'd also crush Chaldea once and for all, while accomplishing their secondary goal.

Angered, uncertain, distraught… yet somehow still determined… they turned to him. The crying Gudao and Mashu frantically tried to calm each other down as they whispered to each other. They looked feebler without their host of allies. Many were trapped within the second field, captured by the pillars to drain of energy. Even more remained incapable of doing anything outside one of the strongest bounded fields they could muster. Yet, the pivotal piece was moving into place within Chaldea.

Flauros was given a second chance to right his wrong by crippling Chaldea: The summoning and leyshift systems had to be destroyed absolutely. Only once those were down, the servants can be culled swiftly without concern of them being resummoned in a fresh, battle-ready state. Once they were all gone, there would be no way for Solomon to be summoned, and zero chance for a counterattack.

"Your chances of victory are non-existent, Gudao," Goetia declared as he took a few menacing steps towards them. The crying Mashu grit her teeth, positioned herself beside Gudao, and quickly wrapped her free arm around his waist; That would not prevent the beast from teleporting him away, should it choose to. "Even as we speak, your forces are in disarray, and Chaldea is being destroyed…"

Gudao and Mashu's eyes widened in disbelief, as expected. Goetia merely raised one hand, which made them flinch as several large orbs appeared around them. They flashed brightly, but not with intended violence. Across their surfaces, Goetia projected different perspectives within Chaldea and the singularity. Already it could see their suffering growing like a wildfire in their watery eyes at the countless sights before them. It wanted to smile, but this was far from over.

"Were those peaceful days worth the inevitable?"

By the end, one of them would definitely believe, and that was the last desire of their collective.

* * *

 **-•===ЯΞΞΞ[** **IV**   **]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

" **Arrgh** …! That was…  _ **ghh-**_  close…!"

Gabrielle never thought she would be so happy to hear the pranking caster's voice. She'd nearly died. Gabrielle Rutherford should have died by Goetia's hands, just like Merlin. Yet they were not. They were here, wherever it was. Her scrambled mind raced to recollect herself, even as the pit in her stomach churned at terrible events of the past… few minutes? One minute? Had it all collapsed that fas-

Merlin coughed, bringing her focus to her current reality. She could feel his labored, pained breath against her hair while he embraced her tightly. Staggered and confused, she felt a warm liquid seeping onto her shoulder. There was barely enough light to see anything; There was far too many questions and images tearing through her mind, but growing concern and shock overpowered them all.

"…Are you… okay?" Merlin's pained voice helped to shake some of her restraining terror. She glanced up towards him… and gasped. He chuckled in the dim light. "…I've had… worse… Maybe…"

Merlin was a beautiful mage, which was why his broken and charred form was so horrific. Much of his hair was singed away, and his burned face was nearly unrecognizable. The stub of his arm continued to bleed onto her suit, but he kept his embrace close. She couldn't see the rest of his form in the darkened space. Based on the singed remains of his robes that brushed against her cheek, the rest of his body was likely in just as terrible shape, yet he was still here.

Finding part of her voice, she gasped as tears formed in her eyes. The broken caster chuckled, but the pained sound grated her ears like rocky gravel. " _ **Arrg-**_ _…_ You're safe… I thought… I'd be too-  **ghh!**  late…"

" **Don't talk! You're dying!"**  Gabrielle quickly stated as she tried to break away from his grasp; She needed to heal hi-

" **Don't!"**  he managed to croak out swiftly, followed by a harsh grunt. "The concealment cape…! If you brea-  **Arrghh** … Goetia will…!"

She looked behind her at the supposed darkness, and realized the cause. Merlin had his special cape wrapped around both of them like a tent. He always teased his was far more special than the others, but she only half-believed it actually was; One could never tell with Merlin.

' _That's how he got himself away safely…'_ It was also keeping them away from his observation… or so she hoped.

Thousands of questions still remained, and just as many urges to act raced through her. Gabrielle was a girl of action though, and his bleeding form was making her increasingly more stressed. Still, as impulsive as she knew she was, she fought against her mind to calm herself. It was a wrestling match she was never really good at winning, but the added pressure of a dying friend beside her was more than enough motivation to try. This was not the time to let her emotions control her actions completely.

Even as a tear escaped her eye as the mounting despair gripped her, she sniffled and focused on what she must currently do. She'd get their bearings and a proper course of action, but first she needed to heal Merlin. She couldn't heal him properly if she couldn't see what she was doing; She was nowhere near as skilled in medical arts as Anishka, who could _probably_  do it blindfolded from another room.

"Can we move a bit!?" she quickly hurried as she struggled keeping her own emotions from racing out of control. As he pulled away carefully, she reached for her own satchel for a golden apple, since Merlin likely lost all of his. She was happy it was still on her person. She pulled one of the powerful treats out, but gazed back at Merlin in concern. Maybe the darkness made his wounds look worse, but she couldn't see where his mouth was. "Can you open your mouth?"

She watched Merlin open his mouth weakly, and she quietly cursed. The apple would have to be cut into smaller pieces. There's no way he could eat with so much damage on him. Or should she heal his mouth with a spell? No, healing the arm was more important right now! But was he injured anywhere els-  **Shit!**

' _Focus, Gabby, focus! Stop hesitating before he dies!'_

* * *

 **-•===ЯΞΞΞ[** **V**   **]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

With the primary generator in Chaldea incapacitated, the Control Room was basked in dim red lighting. Da Vinci chuckled drly. "I'm surprised you even helped, William..."

"I can't write if I lose sight of the stage," he jested back, though his voice lacked nearly all of his usual spirit. To hers and Tesla's surprise, he knelt down to help them check one of the many fallen forms scattered through the room.

Roman barely registered the muted sounds behind him. His vision spun as the thick stench of smoke and blood upset his stomach. His left hand was clamped over his mouth, while the other grasped at the floor where he sat. Stunned eyes remained glued to the main monitor even as the servants checked for any other survivors. Sounds were dulled, but he could hear the muffled and stressed calls between the three servants.

His shrunken eyes quivered as he stared at the scorched earth where Gabrielle had been. As the servants in the room fought the last of the invading demons, he had looked up just in time to see a flash of bright light before the orange-haired master disappeared among bleached flames. He could barely hear himself breathing after witnessing it… a realization of a fragmented vision long past.

Just below the screen, the still-spinning Chaldeas was blurred by rising smoke from the room where servants had defeated many invaders. There was another flash outside the shattered Control Room windows that heralded the arrival of new enemies; He didn't need to hear the loud chorus of renewed combat to know it. He didn't want to acknowledge it, but what choice did he have?

Those visions weren't from the Fuyuki Incident. They were from their final fight.

Propping himself up just a little further, he winced as a dull throb staggered his movement. They were just bruises, and they wouldn't keep him down for long. He looked at himself, then grimaced as he spotted his arm. Some glass from the shattered window had sliced through his sleeve. Checking the wound quickly, he was relieved that they were only minor cuts; Glass wounds always looked far worse than they were, but he had to be sure.

The doctor staggered to his feet and urged his aching body towards the control panel. Adamantly, he forced himself not to think about what he saw, but what could have also happened that he didn't. His panicked mind was screaming for good news, but he would find none on the singularity's current monitors. There was still the chance! There were other viewpoints to see!

He grunted as he got the control panel, but his fingers swiftly flew to work. Click after click, Roman switched several monitors to Chaldea's halls. He grimaced at the chaos that engulfed their home. His breath hitched as one monitor caught sight of an employee being torn apart as he was cornered by demons; He was one of Leandre's favorite cooks. Another showed Chevalier d'Eon desperately fighting through a cluster of demons in a corridor, but the employee he was trying to save would likely be killed.

While his hands shook, he stared at the screen with disheartened eyes and mumbled, "I'm sorry... I'm sorry..."

The staff were essentially divided and scattered. While half were making good progress towards safety with the help of servants, others were trying to find a way towards a sanctuary. If the security system activated properly, they would have been in a safe corridor to safety, but that plan was dashed before it even started. Now Roman couldn't even think about activating the doors without dooming scattered groups to gruesome death. His hands shook with his nerve-racked breath.

Had he made the right call? If they were all clumped together with servants guarding them, would more have made it out? Had he caused more deaths than there should have been. The weight crushed his shoulders, and assaulted his stomach. Employees had died, and many more deaths may still-

Roman winced as a delicate hand grasped his shoulder lightly. "Don't be hard on yourself."

"...It's hard not to, Da Vinci," Roman murmured back through the storm of anxiety and distress that roiled within like a typhoon. They were barely held in check. His fingers raced across the keys, and the camera cycled through different corridors and rooms. "I'll... be fine... but I need to know the situation… How are the others here?"

Da Vinci paused briefly and looked behind Roman. He didn't want to look back, and so he refused to. He didn't see Shakespeare reopen his book with a frown, nor Tesla who placed a blanket over the remains of a Leyshift employee. He remained temporarily ignorant of the ramshackle remains of many of the room's robots, strewn about at their previous posts. Da Vinci spoke firmly, "…Five dead. Three unconscious, but stable. Only one robot is operational."

"Five…?" Roman cursed under his breath. Part of him wanted to look. It wanted to know who would see the next day. It was a terrible curiosity, and one he would not indulge. He always hated sad things, and there was already far too much tragedy in the past few minutes alone. There was still room for more.

"The yell earlier…" Da Vinci stared up at the primary monitor, and Roman felt the worry in her voice flow through him. "…Where's Gabby?"

Roman paused briefly in silence, as he felt denial roll through him. There was so much despair and aggravation, he felt numb when he spoke. "…Goetia… killed her..."

His answer was quiet as he typed at the keyboard, and he expected Shakespeare's pen to gleefully begin writing. Instead, there were only silent gawks and agape mouths from the other two servants. He wanted someone to talk and break the silence. He didn't want a gap to think about it. He didn't want to believe a master and close friend had died, but there was no mistaking the missing energy signature from the scanner readings.

As much as he wanted to mourn over the fallen master and the others, there would only be more deaths if he allowed himself to crack. He had to do something. He would not let the Fuyuki Incident be eclipsed by an even greater tragedy! He had to act accordingly, even if despair thundered through his heart. He'd have to take a long few days to ease his mind after all this, and several chats with Magi*Mari, but right now there had to be a way to help fix the situation.

It was possible for him, Da Vinci, and the robot to operate the system with Tesla's aid, but it would be far slower than most. That didn't even take into account Chaldea was currently running on reserve energy… a power supply these damn demons were likely going to take out any second! Without looking back, he frantically brought up views of the generator rooms and the warehouse that stored the capacitor ba-  **"NO!"**

Shakespeare flinched as Roman slammed his fist against the top of the control panel. He and Tesla glanced towards the monitors, rather than the frustrated doctor. Three of the four cameras monitoring the secondary generator rooms were offline, and the fourth's destabilized feed showed a completely destroyed system. Even with all the reinforcement the casters did on the parts, something as refined, advanced, and intricate as a Chaldean generator could only be made so durable.

What made the last scene worse, and caused Roman to growl at the screen, was Lev checking the ruined generator with a group of those blasted lesser demons. The former professor slowly turned towards the camera, smiled gently, and tipped his top hat with a small chuckle. After that, the feed destabilized completely as one of the invaders roared through the sound feed.

"Lev…" Da Vinci growled, but Roman had already moved on to a possible ray of hope.

From what he could see, their only saving grace was what the camera for the primary generator relayed. Okita, Paracelsus, Babbage, and Beowulf were holding the room against an onslaught of demons who wished to finish off the damaged generator. The system crackled with static as Babbage attempted to fix the system with a group of robots. A flash of light brought forth a cluster of new lesser demons, but Okita's response was so swift, it made Roman release a breath he didn't know he held.

"Chaldea's running off the primary generator's last reserves…" he surmised as his eyes narrowed. "We have minutes before we lose all energy… at best, half an hour."

"The servants should be alright, correct?" the lone robot inquired.

He nodded thankfully. "Merlin is diverting a lot of energy to the singularity, but they should still be fine."

"But can we leyshift anyone back?" Tesla immediately asked.

Roman shook his head. "There's only enough for necessary operations. We'd be tapping into what's left of the stored energy reserves, and those are dropping fast..."

"Then I'll go out and help. These demons are nothing before a-"

"Don't, Tesla!" Roman begged quickly. "Please… I'll need you here to help bring the systems up and defend the room. If these computers are destroyed, the others won't be coming home."

Tesla paused, but nodded firmly with conflicted eyes. Da Vinci continued to scrutinize a corner of the primary generator feed as Beowulf tore a demon in half with his bare hands. Her eyes lit up like Christmas as she pointed with newfound respite. "The emergency grail drive! It's still intact! We need to get a grail there immediately!"

Roman's eyes shot to her. "Our comms are disabled. Who's closest to your workshop!?"

Her eyes focused, likely as she sent out a telepathic inquiry. Time ticked by, and another flash in the Deployment Room made Roman worry if another group would come for them. Her sudden smile quelled some of his stress, "D'Eon is en route. I asked any available servants to regroup with him."

As Tesla breathed a sigh of relief as Shakespeare frantically wrote in his book, Roman nodded firmly. He stared towards the screens as his hands curled into fists. He kept himself from looking around Chaldea and the singularity again. He knew himself better than that. If he looked now, he'd see more of his fears come to fruition. Even now, he refused to turn around to look for fear of the tragic sights he hated so much.

Roman worked to place the most important viewpoints they had left on the monitors, yet he couldn't do anything else right now.

He was a normal human within a war-torn facility, where only the servants could make a difference. Roman could do nothing but stand there and observe, helplessly strung up by the cruel hands of reality. As much as he wanted to help directly… to use his last trump card now… he knew he'd only invite a quicker demise for Chaldea by reverting himself here. Goetia was watching, and he would surely act accordingly.

Roman's hands were currently tied.

* * *

 **-•===ЯΞΞΞ[** **VI**   **]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

" **GO! RUN!"**  Frankenstein yelled over her electrified weapon. The charged strike slammed into a leaping demon. Its muscles spasmed with the electrical current before its crushed form careened into the line of demons behind it; Its remains began to disintegrate into an eerie mist. Horns and talons scraped against the Chaldean corridor as Frankenstein growled viciously. Behind her, Tyler and Anton, with reinforced staves in hand, bolted across the intersection to a clear hallway.

The berserker's dress twirled as she quickly chased after the employees. Anton's heart pounded against his chest as they ran, with his fiancé presence reassuring him they'd be alright. She refused to leave their side, especially after passing the corpse of another employee as they zigzagged through the red-lit Chaldean halls. Even when he told her Chaldea's defense was more important, she refused to abandon her original task given by the masters.

Anton would have to recount his lucky stars again for having such a wonderful person in his life, but that would come  _after_  they survived this horror show. "I hope this staircase is safe."

"Well we're sure not taking the fucking elevators," Tyler tried to joke beside him, but the fear in his own voice caused it to fall flat. "These dress shoes are garbage to run in!"

It was a miracle they weren't trapped in a corridor due to the reinforced security doors. From what he hypothesized, something had happened to the Control Room. He didn't want to believe the worst, but with these demons appearing everywhere, it was plausible. If he dared to say it, it was a guarantee.

However, he had bigger problems to worry about, and thankfully none of them included bypassing security doors with the hidden terminals. They needed to get to the staircase. Separated and driven in random directions thanks to the assault, they were further than where they needed to be.

"Not much further!" Anton reassured, as much for himself as Tyler. "Fran! You're sure Benkei… has the main hallway… secured?"

"Uuuu!" she nodded firmly, but kept her eyes focused on their seemingly safe path ahead.

"Great news… I like great news about now!" Tyler cheered lightly as they ran. He was barely panting, and it reminded Anton how much further he needed to go with his own physical conditioning. "If only we weren't running so far!"

"It's not like… we have a choice…!" Anton shot back. They didn't. The original protective bunker by the Roman Theater was compromised; Demons had appeared between the first arriving employees and the entrance. There was no choice but to escape to the secondary bunker, which was much further away. By what Frankenstein had been told, several servants were holding the path secure, and George was leading the room's defenders valiantly. It was their only safe place in a facility where demons could appear at an-

A flash of light appeared at the stairwell just as they reached it. As the first demon leapt towards them, Frankenstein was quicker to act. Her weapon smashed straight through the head of the first demon before singeing the one behind it. Still, the force of a few dozen was much more than Frankenstein would be able to stall by herself. A panicked, stuttering Anton glanced to Tyler, who looked back in shock.

"Next stairs!" the dark-skinned employee yelled as they bolted past the stairwell. A demon looked to strike at them, and a bolt of fear tore through him. Before it could cause him to freeze, Anton let out a cry and thrusted his staff towards it. The reinforced weapon jabbed the demon in the face, making it flinch, but it also swiped angrily at the polearm. The weapon was sent sailing from Anton's hands and into the cluster of demonic invaders behind it.

The two bolted down the hallway faster as Frankenstein dispatched the demon with a quick overhead strike. Upon landing, she swung her weapon behind her so the nearest invaders were thrown from their feet. Taking advantage of the leeway granted, she closed the distance to the running employees as the cries of demons and battle echoed in the hallways ahead. Anton grit his teeth and braced himself for what's to come, feeling absolutely useless in this situation.

Their home had become a deathtrap at every corner.

* * *

 **-•===ЯΞΞΞ[** **VII**   **]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

Jack scowled as yet another group of demons appeared in her path. With skilled ease, she hurled one dagger forward, then burst forward with blinding speed. As the blade tore through the neck of one demon, Jack sliced through another, spun over the swipe of a third, and grabbed her thrown dagger by the hilt. She twirled it perfectly into position, and dropped onto a fourth demon, whose skull was quickly pierced by both weapons.

She quickly jumped out of the way of another swipe, bounced off the ceiling, and cut off the arm of another demon. It roared in pain, but she silenced it with a swift pass that sliced its jugular. Another flash of light signaled the arrival of more demons, and Jack growled at the number that seemingly surrounded her. "I don't have time to play with you!  **Go away!"**

Obviously, the demons wouldn't cooperate, but she had somewhere to be. D'Eon was trying to deliver a grail, and she was told to go help, but the demons seemed to understand what their plan was. She had to break through, yet these enemies kept appearing to slow her pace! They were using their bodies to stall for time!

She could just sneak past them, but then where would the demons go? There were so many employees who were nice to her running for their lives. There were important rooms besieged by hordes of demons, and more might tip the scales in their favor. As much as she wanted to avoid all conflict, it was safer to thin the numbers… yet they just kept coming.

As she sliced off the head of another lesser minion, Jack growled and tried to force her way forward.

* * *

 **-•===ЯΞΞΞ[** **VIII**   **]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

The vision sphere rotated around them, and it raked at Gudao's nerves. It was bad enough he had the heavy guilt and despair over Gabby's death, but now he was being forced to see what happened outside the central isle. Even if he shut his eyes, or tried to look to the ground, the muffled sounds of conflict and terror chewed into him like rusty, jagged metal. It gnawed at his mind, and lashed out at his already palpitating heart that wanted to burst from his chest and run for safer ground.

Fou rubbed itself against Gudao's leg as his last protector called to him with a desperate, quiet voice. "Senpai…"

Mashu's arm squeezed him gently in an attempt to reassure him. She stared towards him in scared concern, and he looked back with his tear-stricken eyes. He wanted to look at her strongly. He didn't want her to worry, but he couldn't muster the strength to bring up a brave façade. He was in a pit of devastation, and these spheres dug it deeper as she tried to give him a ladder out.

But the worst… the worst part was Goetia just stood there, eyeing them both as the vision spheres spun around them. Silently, it watched them. Silently, it made no motions. The beast just allowed the sphere to rotate like an oversized baby's mobile. Gudao wanted it to say something, but it just waited and gazed.

Its silence, ruptured only by the consistent sounds of muffled terror, despair, frustration, and anguish, was the loudest scraping nail across the chalkboard.

* * *

 **-•===ЯΞΞΞ[** **IX**   **]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

It was far too quiet as Medusa soared around the ominous barrier on the tail end of her recon task. From the back of her beautiful mount, she'd search high and low on her side of the barrier for any possible weakness. There had been no opening to exploit, and she had been resigned to collecting any possible new information on who remained fighting within.

Medusa glared furiously from the back of her mount towards one of the fractured islands. The demon pillars there, with their accompanying lesser minions, were practically idle. Even as the tiny figure of Cursed Arm ran around the outskirts, desperate to find an opening, they remained content. The assassin was clearly looking for an opportunity, and she thanked him for it, even if he was a weaker wraith against heavy opposition.

It was the thought that counted, especially when her sisters were captured within the center of the demonic formation. Asterios had valiantly tried to protect them too, but he remained still and unmoving like discarded dolls. It shook her core to see them like that, and she wished for nothing more than to burst through the barrier and save them all. She'd make those pillars pay dearly for what they've done too, and in the process save the other incapacitated servants on the island.

She was no hero, but by the gods, the pillars would feel her monstrous wrath.

Yet, she could only think of it in her mind and hope. As desperately as she wanted to act, that absorption barrier would likely absorb anything that touched it. It could mean instant death, and as much as she was tempted to try, she couldn't allow herself to die.

With grit teeth, she seethed and redirected her Pegasus back to the beachhead. "I'll save you… I promise!"

* * *

 **-•===ЯΞΞΞ[** **X**   **]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

Anishka's eyes lost their last glimmer of hope as a frustrated Astolfo landed his Hippogriff at the beachhead. He cursed, "Nothing that looked like a weak point… and I only saw a handful still fighting. I don't know how much longer they'll hold out, but Ishtar and Arturia are putting up a fight."

"How many demon pillars are present on the islands?"

"All accounted but one," Astolfo grimaced. "…I think we know where  _he_ is."

Gilgamesh growled furiously by the edge of the Beachhead as Lord El-Melloi II stared intensely at the barrier with Iskandar. Nitocris was nervously trying to calm down Ozymandias, who continued to rant about the underhanded strategy of Goetia. Dantes had yet to break his gaze towards one of the demon pillars, but Anishka could feel his wrath lingering thickly in the surrounding air.

The best available strategists were trying to formulate a plan, but the situation was already deteriorating far faster than she wanted. All their fallback plans were dashed when that second barrier went up. Communications were completely cut. Goetia's plan was elaborate, and they were lured into it so easily.

Almost all of Chaldea's strongest servants were isolated outside of the battlefield. The pillars subdued nearly everyone who had been suppressing them, but they weren't killing them outright. They were waiting for something, or maybe using them like hostages as Dantes angrily suggested. Whatever the case, there was no proper way in if the barrier would simply absorb any and all things. Even any attempt to teleport within was met with failure, as it simply fails to activate.

The master placed a hand gingerly against her head. The pressure to find a saving grace was unbelievable. She wanted an answer, but what could be found? Not even those with far more combat and strategic experience than her had calculated a possibility yet. But that was no excuse! Surely there had to be something! There had to be a-

"Anishka… We'll find a way." Sita's worried voice tore through her unbearable stress.

She turned to the red-haired archer, who offered a tiny smile of reassurance. It did nothing to soothe her turmoil. "…I feel so helpless."

To her dismay, Sita's smile turned sad. "We all do."

"Isn't there anything we can do?" "Overpower the shield?" "The  _absorption_  shield? Great idea…!" "It's better than nothing! There are wounded that need healing!"

* * *

 **-•===ЯΞΞΞ[** **XI**   **]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

Heracles' roar tore through the air as he singlehandedly cleaved a demon pillar with one swing. The monstrous servant, growling with unchecked ferocity, burst forward like a comet. His eyes remained focused on the small girls further ahead, who remained chained to the rocky ground between three other pillars. His eyes were fury incarnate as he bounded through a horde of lesser demons, whose attacks were but scratches against the mighty legend's skin.

The demon pillars were another story. Emiya yelled from atop one of the remaining few columns,  **"Heracles! Get back!"**

One of them glowed with a sickly crimson hue, then unleashed unholy fire towards him. Heracles instinctively leapt back, and the horde of lesser demons was incinerated instantaneously. An incoming sphere of focused prana careened towards him from yet another pillar as the one he destroyed swiftly regenerated itself. A quickly dispatched broken phantasm from Emiya's bow slammed into the incoming attack as the berserker landed at the base of the remaining column.

"They're too coordinated for us!" Emiya called down to him. The berserker roared angrily towards him, but it made no further moves as the horde of demons reconstructed themselves from nothing. Heracles merely stared at the equally frustrated archer, then back at the nine-pillar garrison before them.

If Emiya grit his teeth any harder, they might have shattered. His eyes were narrowed into vicious slits as he tried to find a way to get his family out of their binds. Even so, his mind was jarred by the occasional cry of pain from his adoptive mother, or Kiritsugu's own groans of agony. What terrified him even more way Kuro's fading struggles… or Illyasviel, who had stopped moving a minute ago and sent Heracles into a blood-filled rage.

It wasn't easy like before. The enemy had been holding back considerably. They regenerated faster, and they attacked with increased ferocity; It was a miracle Heracles had managed just to get him to a safe distance. However, now they seemed at a dead end unless they got reinforcements.

His captured family's proximity to many pillars meant he couldn't unleash his attacks so haphazardly. He wished Heracles had been summoned with God Hand, but the berserker's lack of that unbelievable ability meant even the hardened legend had to be careful in this situation… but time was ticking. His family's lives were being drained. Was this the situation for the other nodes too?

He glanced around quickly for the first time, and didn't like what he saw; Reinforcements would definitely not be coming. Regrouping might be best… but he wasn't willing to leave his family to go elsewhere. The other groups likely wouldn't leave their close friends to chance either.

Heracles roared as Kuro let out a strained gasp against the offending binds, two of which had pierced her legs for extra grip. Emiya grit his teeth and glanced towards the enemy garrison, who almost mockingly just stared back. Between their seemingly taunting patience, and a quick glance at the trickle of drying blood on the side of Illyasviel's mouth, temptation for reckless action grew exponentially.

"The inevitable cannot be delayed. Their end is near," Sabnock's voice boomed provokingly towards them. "Yours too, shall come with time."

Emiya growled. Rushing in recklessly like his younger self would actually sounded like an option right now…

…What a hopelessly dire situation this was to even consider that.

* * *

 **-•===ЯΞΞΞ[** **XII**   **]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

Mashu's legs wanted to give out from under her as the vision sphere rotated around Mashu and Gudao; It had been minutes of painful silence. Goetia wanted them to see it all. It wanted both of them to understand what was happening all around them while their lives were in its hands.

Staff had been killed… Servants who she lived beside and smiled with were on the cusp of death… Gabby was… It was too much! It was all too much, and far too fast! Everything spiraled downward into a hotter hell than she bared to acknowledge! Her heart denied reality; This had to be a nightmare they wanted to show her! They wanted to convince her again that their belief is not wrong, and they did it so excruciatingly!

Tears had fallen down her cheek far more than she wished already, but her blurry vision kept vigilant for any hostile attempt… even as the vision spheres circles around them like sharks in chummed water. She had to be ready to act. She had to be strong for Gudao as the only one able to protect him.

Her resolve wouldn't waver, but nevertheless, more than anything, she wished to be somewhere, anywhere… but not in this terrible uncertainty. Mashu wanted to be out in the singularities exploring. She wished to be taking more pictures for the albums Gudao joked were filling their closet. She yearned to take her first steps in the real world,  _ **their**_  world… but they had to get through Goetia to do that. She didn't want to be here anymore, but she had to be.

Even so, she held firm for both herself, the future, and the one she loved. She glanced to Gudao, whose own tear-stained face stared around them with a mix of frustration, fury, and despair. Only she and… Gabrielle… knew how truly fragile he could be at times. If he fell into a spiral of self-blame, it would be hard to pull him out. That's why she had a reason to be strong. They would find a way out of this, and to ensure it, she'd need to catch Gudao if he started to fall.

"Do your hearts understand now?" Goetia finally spoke as the vision sphere circled like hungry vultures. "This is what finite existences boil down to… Pain. Suffering. Torment...  _Desperation_ … This is unavoidable so long as death is married to life. Can this truly be called proper?"

"You're the ones who caused all of it!" Gudao quickly snapped back angrily.

" _You've_  been doing it to  _yourselves_ even before we came into existence," Goetia countered easily. "How many wars have been fought? How many conflicts over petty excuses? How much pain has risen from the needs to feel satisfaction for being cursed with a short life?"

Gudao fell silent as Goetia's large, central eye gazed at him steadily. "You humans were always so confusing… It took the end of the world to unite those who remain, yet your efforts remained questionable. Nearly all of humanity extinguished… Your fate held in our hands, yet you  _ **still**_ managed to smile and relax... To frolic and play! Our collective had the strength to incinerate you at any given moment… yet we couldn't help but gaze with confusion until we wished to watch Chaldea no further."

"…Then you invited us," Gudao finished as his fists shook at his sides. Mashu looked to him in growing concern. He was latching on to anger to combat overflowing grief. He was using his frustration as patches for the dam, but they wouldn't hold the water forever against the growing downpour. Usually he'd be trying to find a way out of this situation and delay with a silver tongue… but she could see he was getting desperate just to prevent a meltdown. "…So now what? I'm next? Huh?"

That was far from what Gudao would usually say, and it terrified her… but not more than Goetia's small shrug. "It could have been. However, you've grown to become important to Mashu Kyrielight. Killing you would be…  _unfortunately_ detrimental to our last remaining desire."

Gudao turned to Mashu, and they shared a knowing glance. They knew what he was talking about. On occasional nights, Goetia, masquerading as Solomon, appeared in her dreams. She discussed nearly all of them with Gudao; It was hard not to when she woke up gasping for breath beside him. They'd come to the conclusion together, but it was not a difficult one to reach.

"You want someone to say you're right," Mashu answered, and Goetia's eye turned to her calmly and nodded. "…You want me to say it."

"We artificially born should be able to understand each other. We both realize how meaningless life is. We both lament its limits and its end." The beast rumbled as another employee was shown dying on a passing vision sphere as Boudica desperately tried to reach them. "After all, while living all we can see is death, and no matter what we are, we part in death… Isn't it is already too much? To be helpless against a guaranteed fate? The birth of a planet without death…  _that_  should be your hope."

After a few calming breaths, Mashu had never been more relieved Gudao was still holding himself together. He was taking slow and calming breaths, and managed to speak with a fairly even voice. "Why would you need acknowledgement? You seemed confident in your plan."

"Even if it is just one pillar, we still have doubts. Even if it is just one human, we want someone to understand," Goetia rumbled. "Mashu Kyrielight, a man-made life that will soon disappear… Deny human history together with us. Tell us that we are right. Just say one word… Yes… that is all you need. And with that agreement, you  _and_  Gudao shall gain the right to travel to the beginning with us."

Mashu's eyes widened, and Gudao's own shock seemed like a moment of reprieve. Both of them? The offer was to both of them? Goetia continued calmly, "You know it too, Gudao. Her life is already at its limits. After all we've witnessed, some amongst us have reached a new possibility for this… unseen dilemma. We do not want to make this planet's last record a greater tragedy. Agree with us, and become the Adam and Eve of an immortal, perfect world… A world where you'll never see your new friends and family suffer ever again."

So that's it. That's why it singled out Gabrielle for death, and made them watch all of this. Goetia was trying to manipulate both of them into agreement. It wanted to win the argument through a cold and unyielding reality… to make them agree by breaking their will and emotion. She was scared how tempting it truly was.

She gazed to Gudao's troubled eyes, whose unstable state may be more receptive to the idea. Mashu knew how adamant and determined he could be, and she knew him so well… but they'd been put through far too much grief in such a short time. She was unsure what was going through his mind in his terrible emotional state, and it scared her. Goetia merely looked on in expectation as her arm squeezed him with overflowing worry and reassurance.

Even so, Mashu prayed and placed her belief in the man she loved, and that no matter how much he was hurting, his conviction wouldn't break.

* * *

 **-•===ЯΞΞΞ[** **XIII**   **]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

Gabrielle stared silently as Merlin examined the pink, raw skin of his rebuilding arm; Material bodies were scary in the way they worked. It took force-feeding him all six apples and a few of her best healing spells, but she managed to stabilize his condition. If anything, he would be back in a weak fighting form within a few minutes as his renewed hair took on its rainbow shimmer. Still, she remained motionless and at a loss under the cover of his personal, enhanced concealment cape.

Merlin had taken the time to give a rushed explanation when he could speak normally again. His habit of stumbling through incantations, especially when under pressure, had almost gotten his manifested body destroyed. Even in his damaged and weakened state, he managed to teleport himself back at the precise moment she thought she would die; It had been his intention to ensure Goetia had no clue they were both alive. Unfortunately, that meant the others didn't know they were alive either.

No one knew they were hiding and waiting, concealed in a small crevice on the underside of the central isle.

An involuntary shiver ran through her body, and a small whimper escaped her lips as she clutched Merlin's oversized cape closer to her form. This enhanced cloth was all that protected them from being discovered and killed, but she didn't want to hide! She wanted to help all her friends who were in trouble! She feared for Gudao's current mentality after watching her 'die.' Shit, Merlin even forbade her from trying any telepathic message should Goetia intercept it! But she wanted to-!

Sensing her plight, Merlin grunted, but reached over with a soothing hand. "Be calm, Gabby. Thanks to you, I can do something soon."

"…You'll beat Goetia?" she asked hopefully. It was a stretch, but they were the words she wanted to hear.

He shook his head with a frown. "As much as I want to say yes, even the Magus of Flowers can't match it… You've seen it. Goetia absorbs all attacks, or negates them as it pleases. Right now, that beast is immune to everything we do."

"You  _knew_  all this?" she asked incredulously. Arturia had said many times how Merlin could withhold important information; She didn't want to believe he did it here and now, at such a critical juncture. Thankfully, it didn't seem he did as he shook his head again.

"I knew his identity, but not his true potential… I just… underestimated him… Sorry." Gabrielle wasn't too sure what was more unsettling: Goetia's calmness, or Merlin chastising himself and admitting a mistake. "It won't happen again. Chaldea will win this. Humanity is destined to see the light of the next morning!"

"How…?" she asked almost hopelessly as she glanced at the back of her hand at the faded remnants of a used command seal.

From what she understood of what he summarized, their forces were scattered. Gudao and Mashu were alone with a  _beast_. Anishka and many of the strongest servants were stuck outside the pillars' new bounded field, and the barriers prevents any variation of movement between them. It was Merlin and Mashu against Goetia at best since the pillars probably won't get suppressed, and the caster just said he couldn't win.

As much as her fiery spirit wanted to believe… it was just so difficult to find an answer.

"I have a theory that might work, but it's likely going to cost this body in the gamble. When the time comes, I'll need your help."

Her eyes slowly lit up. That was all she needed to hear to spark a growing hope. They would be able to do something!

* * *

 **-•===ЯΞΞΞ[** **XIV**   **]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

"Shit…  **Shit!** " Tyler cursed as they ran down yet another hallway. Everywhere they turned, just when they thought the demons had moved on to more important targets, they blocked the way forward. With every minute that passed, the trio found themselves further and further away from the safety net of servants. Others were having better luck, but his just had to be running dry today of all days.

Even as he was running out of breath and cursing his odds, he kept a serious face on. He knew Anton did the same, and they were both likely scared shitless within, but it didn't freeze them. They ran, for it was all they could do as Frankenstein defended them. He felt like a gazelle surrounded by several lion prides.

But they were growing tired. Tyler and Anton weren't servants, and they'd been sprinting for far longer than either wished. Adrenaline propelled them forward, but their bodies wouldn't handle it forever. Sooner or later, they'd be running on empty, and that thought terrified him.

A flash of light down another corridor made Anton growl in aggravation. "They don't stop coming!"

They reached the intersection, and scanned for a safe way forward towards the nearest stairwell. Frankenstein eyed the large group of lesser demons, which seemed far more preoccupied with another target. Tyler glanced over to spot Chevalier d'Eon, swinging his rapier wildly in his attempt to clear a path away from the demons. In his hands, one of Chaldea's grails sparkled brightly even under the crimson emergency lights.

"Tyler! This way!" Anton yelled as he grabbed his friend's wrist. They bolted down the new hallway, but Tyler looked back again towards the mob of lesser demons keeping the lone saber stalled.

"They're trying to get the grail!" Tyler shouted, which made Frankenstein glance back again.

"No one to help… Others fighting…" She looked conflicted, but she wouldn't leave them. She wouldn't dare leave either of them alone in this madness, especially Anton. Tyler could only hope another servant could be freed to-

With a bright flash, more demons appeared right before them. As Frankenstein bowled over the first one, Anton and Tyler were on autopilot. They ran back the way they came, towards the still struggling saber and the growing horde. Tyler was just happy they still didn't care about them. Finally, with an elaborate series of elegant parries and ripostes, D'Eon broke a path forwar-

Clang! A demon had lunged for D'Eon, but it managed to strike the grail. The swift and vicious blow knocked the treasure from his grasp, and it flew speedily down the hallway on a violent trajectory. It bounced off floor and wall alike, banging loudly against the surfaces as it raced towards the advancing trio. Several demons had used the opening to pin the saber once more, while others raced after the grail.

With adrenaline seemingly slowing things down, Tyler eyed the approaching treasure. Servants had fought over it in other lifetimes as a means to grant any conceivable wish. Even if Da Vinci said these were just extremely fancy mana batteries, he never wanted to wish on it so hard. That's when the impulsive idea roared through him like a gunshot on a silent night. The grail couldn't make a wish, but it could probably grant one that many would like.

It tumbled towards the intersection just as the group got to it. Frankenstein burst forward to land an electrified thrust into the torso of the first demon. It sailed backwards into its cohorts, and she turned around to attack the chasing demons who would approached the intersec- She gawked in shock. "Uuuu!?"

Impulse had driven him, but it felt like the right thing to do. Tyler had scooped the grail up with his other hand, which earned him a surprised stare from Anton too. "T-That thing's a demon magnet, Tyler!"

"But someone has to deliver it!" Tyler countered frantically as he motioned with his staff-holding hand towards the pinned saber.  **"Run! Just run!"**

"It's not our j-job!" Anton panicked as he followed rapidly after Tyler. Frankenstein soon followed them down the only free hallway, and grunted in agreement.

"We're closer to the… primary generator!" Tyler shot out as fast as he could between breaths. "We'll never reach the hall!"

Tyler, propelled forward by fear, stormed with inner turmoil. Part of him agreed this was wrong, but he still grabbed the grail. Most of him was still terrified, yet he had managed to act on the impulse. Nonetheless, part of him actually felt… liberated. He was exhilarated to be able to do something besides running like a chicken with its head cut off. He was presented a chance to do something when seemingly everything was going wrong and every second probably mattered, and he dared to take the risk.

Truthfully, he'd rather take his chances doing something helpful than running for a way out that never opened.

He was a target now, but the sooner the grail got to the primary generator, the safer they'd all be. There were servants guarding that room; They'd be much safer there than the hallways. When the power was back up, they could likely bring back extra hands from the singularity. Things would stabilize. This nightmare would become manageable.

Tyler completely embraced that naïve hope and ran forward, even if he might have just sentenced them to death.


	4. Chapter 3: Their Finest Hour

Memorial Hall echoed with near-silent sorrow and hushed whispers. Their nervousness resided thickly in the atmosphere as the braziers' fires flickered gently. A lesser demon's dying roar outside caused some cowering employees to flinch, and the terrified Leandre let out a yelp. All eyes shot to the large doors as George creaked them open enough to allow another employee to scamper in. She quickly joined with the group in the center, huddled between the seven major memorial walls for the primary singularities.

Rena looked to Nursery Rhyme, who kept careful watch over them from atop a wall. With her enhanced scanners embedded in her eyes, Rena could analyze trace hints of distress and uneasiness in her posture; They were covered well by her adamant watch. The little caster turned to the small robot, and offered the only tiny smile in the tense setting.

The robot's eyes scanned around the room once more. With Janna's additional presence, Memorial Hall felt very secure. It was poetic, if Rena used that figure of speech right; A room filled with precious memories of the past, was secretly the fallback bunker that housed the valued lives of its residents… or at least half of them.

Logically, it even made sense, since it was the farthest room from the important sectors of Chaldea. Her internal calculations had proven correct, since very few of these invaders even chased them this far. Xuanzang would handle the rare group that arrived within the resort while others kept the path clear, but they were not the swarms she'd heard some of the employees murmuring about. They were safe here within this reinforced room, but their nerves were still rattled, and the paranoia of them being targeted remained.

Even with her programs and simulations, mimicking to a machine what emotions likely felt like as electrical impulses, Rena couldn't compute what they truly felt like; Maybe it was better that she couldn't. With what she could 'feel' through logical processes, dealing with her limited stress and anxiety was bad enough. This worry over Serenity's safety was jarring her processes, but her concern over her employee friends even more so.

Tyler, Anton, Naomi, Delaqua… They had yet to arrive. With every passing moment, the probability that they were among the fraction of employees trapped within the hallways grew. By now, it was nearly a computed ninety-eight point four percent guarantee they were running for their lives; She didn't want that. She wanted all of them safe here until the battle was ove-

Nursery Rhyme stiffened, and Rena's calculations ran rampant over the chance of an attack. Instead, the shocked caster turned to Janna, who looked back with equal confusion. "Did you hear Franny correctly?"

"Tyler's running the grail to the generator!?" George asked incredulously at the door.

…No. That was a zero-point-one percent probability. Based on the analytics around Tyler's behavior, he was guaranteed not to do something that foolish and brave. Yet, the servants just provided new and very different data. He supposedly had the grail, and was doing what the  _servants_  were tasked to complete.

That didn't compute at all. His survival margins were low if these lesser demons could pin down servants in enclosed areas. His martial arts skills were incompatible against supernatural foes with abilities far above a standard human being. Rena was a robot, and even with her processes and data banks, she couldn't comprehend what drove a person to make that decision.

However, even if the data said otherwise, Rena knew better than to expect the expected from her Chaldeans companions, both regular and servant. Maybe it was this human whim, instinct, or belief her current processes couldn't quite replicate, but she knew the real answer. Even if the odds were horrendously skewed… Even if it was a calculated improbability, all it took was a chance…

…and she  _did_  calculate it was a point one percent chance, and not absolute zero.

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ Ω ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

_**Chapter 3: Their Finest Hour** _

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ Ω ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

A tiny, thankful smile graced Mashu's face when Gudao furrowed his eyebrows incredulously. "…You really think either of us will accept that offer?"

"After all this… you'd still rather fight?" Goetia asked accusingly. "Incomprehensible… yet predicted from you, Gudao. Perhaps Mashu would still see reason."

As both turned to her, Mashu glanced to Gudao. Her small smile grew just a slither larger when she noted him taking deep breaths and flexing his fingers. It was his way of calming himself, and she understood that he attempted to piece himself together again. He was still fragile, but his resolve held strong, likely in anger and memory of Gabrielle. She turned back to Goetia, whose expecting gaze nearly made her shudder.

"…You've asked me if you were right all this time… Showed me why you were right. Certainly, as long as death is promised, life is meaningless. That's what I believed."

Goetia's form seemed to straighten with acceptance. "Good. You understand. Then…?"

Her eyes narrowed at the beast, and she shook her head. "But I don't believe that anymore… I understand clearly now. After everything I've seen… There's value to life. Life is what we make of it, but some can't see it or take things for granted. It's up to us to make that short time meaningful."

Goetia scoffed in disagreement. "A longer life would have far more meaning without a promised demise."

"I don't believe that." Mashu shook her head adamantly. "You showed me a world without end, which is a world without sorrow… but it's still wrong! There's no happiness! There's no will to truly live a life if it goes on forever! Even if I can live forever, I don't want an eternity like that!"

"You'd rather have this world? This world full of pain and misery?"

"Even if my life will end in the blink of an eye…! I want to see the future of this world even for just a second!" she cried out honestly as Gudao wrapped his arm gently around her. "The world is harsh, but it can be beautiful! It's beautiful because we don't let the inevitable stop us! We want to make it the best we can with our limited time! We want every second to mean something special that can never be replaced, and leave wonderful memories with everyone who outlives us!"

She'd said what she believed, and not an ounce of a lie. A world without death and despair would be wonderful, but their opposites couldn't exist; There can't be one without the other to measure it. She may smile, but it wouldn't be the smile that she'd enjoyed so much in this world. As painful as everything could be, there was always a silver lining to look forward to or create; They'd make one against this beast, somehow. It seemed hopeless, but they've come too far with so many to surrender to this genocidal beast!

Goetia's silent gaze felt stiffer. Its central eye gazed between the two as they stared back at it. It finally huffed and shook its head. "Inconceivable… The depths of your ineptitude... Do you truly believe you can win against us in your situation?"

As Mashu resolved herself to answer, Gudao let out a very brief huff. It caught her by surprise, and Goetia too. Emotionally hammered, yet standing firm, he stared towards one of the vision spheres with the tiniest of smirks. "We're not the only ones."

Mashu slowly turned to the one circling sphere as Goetia halted its orbit. It showed a glimpse into Chaldea, and centered on Tyler as he ran full speed down a hallway with a grail in one hand. His staff remained grasped in the other, and though his eyes held the glints of fear, his actions lacked any hesitation. He reached an intersection, scanned quickly, then chose a path ahead. He looked back at the two companions who followed him, and slowed for Frankenstein to charge ahead to attack a group of newly arrived demons.

Two regular Chaldean employees charged through the hallways with a purpose. Even if they had a servant escort, it was no less inspiring to her. They weren't doing what they were supposed to, and she didn't understand the circumstances leading to this moment; She didn't need to. Mashu just knew what was happening was above and beyond what was expected of anyone, and she appreciated its sight, even if she feared for them. Her hope welled within, and fiery determination doubled in its wake.

"And what does he think he can do with that pitiful life against our army?"

Mashu merely smiled, even as concern for the running man welled within. "…Something meaningful."

* * *

 **-•===ЯΞΞΞ[** **III**   **]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

Anton knew the grail was going to be demon bait, but even he wasn't expecting  _this_  extent. The numbers were rising constantly, and he was definitely feeling the pressure with every turn he made to run towards the generator room. They got close to Boudica at one point, but a giant cluster warped in between them to dash that idea; They couldn't risk trying to link up with her with those numbers. It had been a very terrible minute, and Anton was nearly on his last legs as they turned down one of the longest corridors in Chaldea.

Concerned and apologetic, Tyler looked back at him. "Don't give out on us! We gotta… stick with Fran!"

"This… is the worst… cardio of… my life…" Anton huffed the joke between breaths with a forced, exasperated smile. Frankenstein huffed with worry, and he flinched. "Sorry…"

"I wish we could… stop to let you catch-  **HOLY SHIT!** "

Tyler dove forward and barely escaped being decapitated by the swiping talon of a newly appeared demon: They appeared between them. Frankenstein quickly dove atop of Anton, protecting them both from one of the dozen demons in the hallway. She roared with anger, and swung wildly with her weapon to protect him. He merely held still beneath her, placing all his trust in his fiancé. A vicious swing from the berserker knocked back one of the terrible, shrieking beasts, backward.

This was the closest he came to the demons, and his heart was squirming in terror. Facing Damien had been trying enough, but this was a whole new experience he wanted nothing to do with. The terrifying visages… the angry glares and powerful strikes! He wanted to yell at Tyler for putting him in this predicament… but he was also a bit jealous of his bravery of even  _thinking_  about grabbing the grail to help Chaldea. It was Anton's nature to be timid, not courageous.

As Frankenstein bought them more room, he gazed to the other end of the cluster. Tyler miraculously scrambled away from the demons, partially thanks to the enemy Frankenstein sent flying through the group. It bought Tyler enough room to renew his sprint down the hallway, farther away from the safety of Frankenstein. To Anton's horror, the demons ignored the two lovers and stared towards his dear friend. He gawked,  **"TYLER!"**

" **Get to safety! They want me!"** he yelled as he bolted down the demons began to chase, and Frankenstein looked torn as she gazed between him and Tyler.  **"Stay with him, Fran!"**

" **Don't get yourself killed!"**  Anton managed to roar through his panting breath, which made his chest groan with all the effort.

He shot a brief, nervous yet determined grin back that he barely saw.  **"I won't! I gotta be your best man!"**

That guy… Putting on a brave face even as demons were running him down. They'd catch up to him soon, even if he was one of the fitter employees in Chaldea. These things accelerated awkwardly, but they'd catch up to him swiftly without anyone protecting him. Anton couldn't bear the thought of losing his friend, but he was just as scared of Frankenstein leaving his side.

As desperate as the berserker, he glanced around where they were in hopes he'd find something that woul- There! He quickly scrambled to his feet as Frankenstein jumped to her own. Anton gasped as his calves tightened up; Now was not the time for cramps! Yet the adrenaline tore through him, mixing with his fear and anger to propel him forward. Tyler was in danger! He couldn't stop now when there was something he  _could_  do!

He forced himself to stumble towards the nearby, unsuspecting panel. With all the finesse of a newborn elephant, he braced himself against the wall, and fumbled with opening the panel in his distressed and hurried state.  _'Calm down! Calm down! Tyler is in-'_

" **Uuuuuu!"**  Frankenstein panicked as she quickly grabbed the panel. With her inhuman strength, she pulled, and the reinforced hinges broke away to reveal the hidden computer terminal; She wasn't through yet. The reinforced piece of metal, roughly the size of a small door, turned into a makeshift projectile as she hurled it down the hallway towards the demon pack.

It slammed into the closest one, which forced the demon into the ones before it. The momentum of the strike allowed the panel to bounce off the ceiling and come down onto the lead enemy. Though it left only minor injuries, it caused them to trip over each other and buy Tyler time to run down the long hallway. They began scrambling onto their legs again, but she gave Anton those precious seconds he thought he'd never get.

"Fran! Can we get Tyler an escort!?" he panicked, but the berserker was already clearly concentrating on the telepathic request; He should have known.

With unmatched typing speed, Anton manually maneuvered past the standard options on the emergency terminal. Tyler was still in danger, but he wasn't completely alone if he had any say about it; He hoped one of the servants could link up with him. Until then, he could at least try to shut some of the emergency doors behind his friend. The overrides would have taken most minutes to manage, but Anton was the software and coding genius of the facility.

If the employee was confident about anything, it was his natural gift with bypassing and configuring computer systems in record time.

The seconds felt like hours as he worked, and Frankenstein attacked a small group of demons that appeared as he typed frantically. He smirked as the system registered his commands. Reaching out with a finger, he selected doors on the dim screen, and the facility responded in turn. The groan of the security doors was like the trumpets that heralded high angels. He looked down the long hallway, and let out a quick cheer of success upon hearing the localized warning klaxons.

Tyler bolted quickly as the nearest demon closed in. He kept his gaze forward and ran as fast as he could while a set of massive doors moved to close before him. The gap was barely two meters wide and closing; It was going to be a nail biter! Ten meters away… five meters…! The demon roared and slashed out towards him, but Tyler pivoted his body and leapt through the half meter gap.

As its companions slammed into it, the first demon, tangled with some of its cohorts, was wedged into the gap between the doors; That was far too close for comfort. The demon shrieked and flailed as its torso was quickly crushed. He let out a cheer, but did not stop running.

Anton let out his held breath as more emergency doors shut between them and Tyler. Judging by the small cheer he thought he heard Tyler yell, he did it. He smiled at Frankenstein, who had dispatched the last of their attackers seconds ago. She grinned back at him with relief and cheered lightly, "Well done!"

"Thanks, love…" he panted, then looked back towards the nearest intersection. "I closed every door… in the area it let me… but left us a way out."

She gazed to the intersection, where security doors had locked shut to leave only one way available. "…Deeper?"

He nodded, then thought of one of the possible safe spots in that direction. "Do you mind getting… us to the Control Room…? You said there… are servants there…?"

* * *

 **-•===ЯΞΞΞ[** **IV**   **]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

" _I've been following the plan we agreed upon. You should have visual confirmation. I'm only a few minutes behind schedule."_

" _That much is obvious… We're allowing you to deviate. That grail must not reach the generator room. Do not fail us_ again _, Flauros."_

The telepathic connection ended, and Lev growled angrily. The host of waiting demons around him, nearly a hundred strong, glanced to the well-dressed leader inquisitively. He lifted a hand and pointed down the hallway they had been following. "Ten of you stay... The rest will overwhelm the Summoning Chamber without me. More will come to assist."

With barely a grunt, the vast majority obediently hustled past him, and broke into a run. Further ahead, the sounds of other minions fighting to enter the room could be heard. He felt four distinct, energetic shivers run through his body as just as the same number of demon groups arrived. They arrived steadily, but they were very uncoordinated without his leadership.  _"Your orders are to attack the Summoning Chamber and anything in your way."_

Hopefully they were close enough to their new intended target; With Chaldea's enhanced defenses and concealment weaves, warping reinforcements into the facility from their reality marble required more energy and was far less accurate. The lesser demons could not revive themselves here like they could in Ars Paulina. It meant wasting far more energy than Goetia wished to invade Chaldea, but it was still more efficient than their previous ideas.

Lev growled as he turned around. He walked back down the hallway to where a minion confirmed the location of the powerful artifact and its carrier. Had Chaldea not been so heavily reinforced by a wide array of casters, he could have just transformed into his pillar form and taken care of all of this in seconds. Doing that now would severely cripple him, at best, while causing only minimal damage. It left him in this fragile body, which meant he had to walk around cloaked most of the time and rely on the demons as distractions.

That was just an inconvenience though. The slow, but certain, flow of reinforcements meant they'd overwhelm Chaldea anyway.

The only difficult part was ensuring Chaldean servants were scattered and tied up. A bunch protected many of the employees, which was a useless gesture if you asked him. It was convenient for them, since it meant an occasional group of demons warped somewhere near them meant their guardian servants would be hesitant to leave. How sad that they were just as concerned of protecting them as they were the vital machinery to win this war. The only employee worth protecting at the moment was whoever had the grail.

"I wonder which one of my old coworkers has it…" Lev mumbled, then smiled sadistically. He'd gotten to have some fun with a few employees who had gotten in his way, but it hadn't been enough to vent his frustration over such a… 'grand failure.' It didn't help he had to adhere to their collective's plan or risk eternal punishment in the next world.

He'd just make sure the employee in question was left in agony once he got there.

* * *

 **-•===ЯΞΞΞ[** **V**   **]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

"I got your back, buddy, keep running!"

Tyler definitely owed Angra Mainyu more than a dozen free games after this. As the avenger caught up after slicing the leg off the last chasing demon, Tyler nodded his thanks between breaths. As fit as he was, he'd been running the entire time. A fire roared within the employee's legs with every step, but he didn't stop. He couldn't stop. With the grail and staff clutched in his sweaty hands, the panting employee ran towards the next best corridor.

It was a blessing in disguise the demons roved about and moved towards priority targets, because it occasionally opened up hallways that had been blocked off before. Getting through the enemies that tried to break into the Primary Generator room would be the hard part, but he was glad he had another servant to help escort him.

They turned down a new hallway, which had their closest path to the Primary Generator. His eyes widened at the sight of another group running towards them. Serenity danced between the small cluster of chasing demons, using her daggers perfectly to incapacitate them one after the other. Her beautiful talisman swung around her neck, and she kept it secure and safe with one hand, while occasionally passing a glance to the two she escorted.

" **Stick with us!"**  Angra cried out as Naomi and a brunette woman from her Clothing Department met up with them at the intersection. "Primary Generator! There will be servants who can defend you!"

"That's where she was taking us!" the brunette quickly stammered out as she panted. Naomi was far too out of breath to say anything. She looked barely capable of keeping that reinforced staff in her hands, let alone run. Still, the supervisor followed them as they ran down the hall-

" **OH COME ON!"**  Angra yelled as a very large cluster of demons appeared in their way; The group was so thick, Tyler couldn't even see through the other side of them. As one, they turned to look towards them.  **"OTHER WAY THEN!"**

Tyler was tired, frightened, but mostly furious. He'd ran more than he ever had, and if his leg muscles weren't so strong, he'd have been dead long ago. He wanted this to be over. He wanted to attack and yell at these demons for stopping them at every corner. Without a doubt, he even wanted to curse himself out for being so stupid as to get himself into the situation in the first place. As angry as he was, he still justified he did the right thing.

As he clung desperate to his newfound second wind, he gripped the grail harder and focused on the next best route.

* * *

 **-•===ЯΞΞΞ[** **VI**   **]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

"Anton…? Fran…?"

"Pleasure to see you're safe, Doctor Roman," the employee replied as Frankenstein carried him bridal-style into the Control Room. He'd caught his breath since his fiancé hastily carried him most of the way, but he nearly lost it upon seeing all the damage and… the covered bodies. He glanced towards the nearest corpse, whose face and torso were covered by her removed jacket.  _'Not Ophelia… Poor Daryl will be…'_

"Where are you hurt?" Da Vinci asked with growing concern, and he appreciated hearing those words. She didn't move from the console though, and kept frantically typing instead. Tesla did the same at another computer, much like the room's last robot; Most of the robotic fleet was stored away in the warehouses, so he doubted any of them could be retrieved right now. Shakespeare just wrote on his book steadily in the back, and it would have made Anton agitated had he not been frowning.

"Only cramps, thanks to Fran," he smiled back lightly, then gently kissed his fiancé on the cheek. Her nerve-racked face broke into a small smile, which was a welcome respite from what seemed to be hours of painful running; He glanced towards the monitor, and couldn't believe it'd only been twenty minutes.

"Well, you're welcome to stay here… We could definitely use you." Da Vinci mumbled the last part, and it made Roman shiver and clench his fists. Anton's eyes turned to the monitors, and he sighed with some relief. His friend was still alive, and he had two servants and some other employees with him now. That was definitely an improvement, but the large host of demons chasing him was not.

He moved a bit in his fiancé's arms, but winced upon feeling the tightened muscles in his calves protest the action. "Can you help them?"

"We were about to," Tesla started with a growl. "But another group attacked and damaged the Leyshift System. We're repairing it so it's prepared when the power returns."

"It'd be up faster if…" Da Vinci started, but quickly glanced back to one of the corpses, then the tense acting director. Roman merely remained quietly staring at the monitors as she narrowed her eyes back at the primary console. "…We had the extra hands to spare. Rebooting the drivers is going to take time."

"There's still full security access from this room," Roman voiced as steadily as he could, and Anton could feel the anxiety and stress in his voice. The doctor turned to him, and he could finally see how agonized the man was. In the depths of his eyes, guilt and anguish churned uninhibited. His arms seemed limp, and he worried especially for the sleeve that was covered with blood-speckled bandages. It was apparent Anton wasn't the only one who wanted all of this to end. "Anton. If you can… please…"

"On it!" he nodded quickly, glanced to his partner, and pointed to a computer where the ruined chassis of a robot rested beside an overturned chair. "Fran, that one please!"

* * *

 **-•===ЯΞΞΞ[** **VII**   **]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

Light-headed and feeling dizzy, Naomi persevered and followed the group. She was no athlete, and she had been lucky she managed to hide with Serenity and her staff member Linda for a bit. There was no way she could have ran through this whole ordeal, but apparently Tyler had. There were few in Chaldea who could pull that off, and she wanted to be in his shoes right now… if only because running any further seemed… impossible…

A flash of light appeared before them, and Naomi wanted to just break down and cry right there. They'd been forced down a long corridor by the large group of demons. The way down the red-tinted hallway had been clear, but now another large horde of zombies had appeared before them. The only way out was a large, shut emergency door beside them that lead into the original safety bunker for the employees. Stuck in a corridor with more demons than she could count in front and behind them, she let out an aggravated cry.

It was shared by Tyler, who put his own frustration into elegant prose.  **"OH FUCK OFF!"**

Naomi just wanted to collapse and cry as she clutched the reinforced staff. Swirling with more emotion than she'd ever felt in her life, this nightmare had drained her of everything. She felt like curling into a ball and let the icy grips of fear finally overtake her. More than that, she wished to be more than just a terrible magus. Instead, for the past who-knows-how-long, she just felt like cattle being led around until it was time to be culled.

Defenseless, horribly fatigued, close to tears, she screamed, " **PLEASE! SOMEONE...!"**

…And someone answered. Local klaxons blared as emergency doors groaned with action in the demons paths. The enemies in front picked up speed, but Serenity was quick to act. Four throwing daggers impaled the front demon's legs. It tripped forward, staggering the ones behind it as the doors slowly moved to close before them. Angra had doubled back towards the incoming horde to do the same to them, even as the doors threaten to close behind him. With surprising finesse, he slips back through the gap before it closed.

Stunned, the supervisor had only been looking between the two closing doors until the brunette grasped her wrist.  **"Miss Stolarz, let's hurry!"**

"Wuh-…" she asked breathlessly, and completely failed to say what she wanted. In a state of disbelief, she was too busy gawking that she didn't see the rising emergency door beside them. Someone had actually answered… and they had a way out! Even if her legs were in agony, and her lungs burned like an inferno, her adrenaline-pumped state pushed her forward. Staff gripped in hand as the other employee released her grasp, she ran into the dimly lit room after the others.

It was almost completely empty since it served only as a protective area. They ran past rows of benches and the few chests that were stacked with food, towards the opening security door on the opposing side. The one behind them began to close, and Naomi looked back in time as a new flash filled the dark interior. Even if the door closed behind them, a new horde of demons, nearly three dozen in number, had warped inside with the-  **"GET THEM OUTTA HERE! I'LL CATCH UP!"**

Angra shot past her with Tawrich and Zarich pulled back over his head. He hurled them forward, sending the claw-like blades tumbling through the air. They speared the first lesser demon in the chest, and in a flash, Angra had charged and tore the blades out of the opponent. He hollered in excitement as Serenity led the three employees through the opening security door. Naomi would just have to put his trust in the rather insane avenger, but what other choice did she have?

They ducked and ran past the many props of the Roman Theater's backstage. In her growing dizziness and exhaustion, she was surprised she had made it through the small obstacle course and even wound up ahead of Linda. She urged her body not to fail her now as they ran across the stage, then through the red curtain. The Roman Theater remained stunning even in the reddish hue, but the fatigued supervisor had no strength nor will to admire it; Especially when two demon groups appeared on stage as the group leapt off of it.

" **Run for the entrance!"**  Serenity cried out as she twirled in the air. With a quick flick of her wrist, several throwing daggers soared towards the dozen chasers. Some found their mark, but others failed to deter the new opponents. They jumped off the stage after the employees and completely ignored Serenity, making her gasp in distress. As soon as she landed, two suddenly threw themselves at her.

Naomi looked back and gasped as their last defender grew further and further away. The demons charged ever closer as they ran up the main isle towards the theater entrance. Fear screamed down her spine as she glanced at the nearest demon, who was closing in on Linda. The staff member was stuttering to form words out of her own terror, but Naomi acted out of impulse.

With a breathless grunt, she hurled her reinforced staff at the charging enemy. It slammed into its face, and it flinched momentarily. Linda sped up as the following demons bumped into the first one, nearly making them stagger and collapse; To her relief, two did. Their charge faltered, but celebration was the last thing on her fear-gripped mind. She and her fellow employee ran blindly after Tyler, who was nearly half way to the entran-

A flash of light appeared around him, and he was suddenly flanked by another group of a dozen enemies. The theater seats crumbled and shattered beneath the arriving horde as their growls filled Naomi's ears with crippling horror. They all turned to Tyler, and the closest began their swipe. Serenity yelped in horror at the sight while Naomi's mind overflowed with emotion; She could barely think straight anymore.

She barely registered Tyler's quick response as he slammed his staff into the ground before him. In a fraction of a second, he pole-vaulted into the air, right over the demon's strike. The talon connected with the pole, sending it flying into seats further ahead; Tyler was already sailing safely to the ground. Linda let out a terrified scream as they ran past the demons, who were already moving to strike at them.

Naomi felt something slam against her back, but it wasn't a talon. All she knew was that she was suddenly off the ground and soaring out of control towards some nearby seats. Against her back, the brunette, with a deep claw cuts across her back, fell limp as they careened into the theater seating. Naomi couldn't even brace herself as her head slammed into one of the cushioned backings, which did little to soften the blow. They landed roughly in the aisle beside some damaged seats.

Now her vision truly spun, and nearly felt like a picture book at times. Pain thrummed from her shoulder and legs. Her mind groaned with a headache that only grew worse as she felt something warm wet the back of her uniform. The dying employee cried and panicked weakly against her back, and unintentionally pinned Naomi down as the demons approached. Naomi could only look up in her blurry state as Tyler continued to run for the entrance, but glanced back at them in horror and apology.

The demons closed in. Serenity had only just killed the last pinning demon, but it was out of the supervisor's view. Everything felt so suddenly hopeless… yet fate decided to laugh harder. Even in her dazed state, she could see a blurry figure appearing from thin air at the theater entrance. At the top of the main aisle, standing between the open doors, Lev smiled pleasantly towards them.

"I think you've run far enough."

* * *

 **-•===ЯΞΞΞ[** **VIII**   **]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

" **UUUAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"** Fran criedout in panic as she watched the screen, and Da Vinci gasped in shock.

Roman looked even paler as Anton desperately slammed his hand against the transmit button for the intercoms.  **"TYLER! LOOK OUT!"**

The employee wouldn't get the warning. Anton helplessly watched the monitor as a small beam of sickly purple shot down the theater's isle; His anguished yell was bone-chilling and haunting. In a split second, Tyler tumbled forward with the grail still in his grasp. His slammed hard, and his body skidded against the ground, but the precious artifact remained clutched in his grasp. Naomi's petrified scream rang over the monitor and churned Anton's stomach. Frankenstein groaned in a helpless panic as tears formed in her eyes.

Serenity, enraged and desperate, charged towards the fallen employees. Lev merely glanced to her and raised one hand with a smile. In an instant, the remaining demons turned their attention from the fallen to the assassin. They charged at her with ferocity, and she was forced to jump into the air to dodge the encirclement. She pulled out new daggers, and with eyes of murderous rage, aimed for the smiling former Chaldean.

Lev merely kept his hand raised, and three chains of sickly purple, the same that had subdued so many in the singularity, shot towards her. Serenity panicked and twirled, evading one with ease, but he had the angles covered. The second one wrapped around her leg and pulled tight, forcing her aerial maneuvers to a minimum. Serenity screamed in pain as the third pierced her torso. As the first one came back to wrap around her neck, it severed the necklace that held the precious talisman to her body.

" **No, no,**   _ **NO!"**_  Roman cried out as they watched the assassin slam into the theater seating where the discarded staff had been knocked, right between the fallen Naomi and Tyler. The chains grew taught, and she gasped. She struggled against a new restraint that bound her wrists as the demons slowly formed a circle… but didn't attack. Serenity reached and kicked around desperately as she bled, but all it did was break more chairs at best.

"Ty…ler…!" she gasped as she tried to wrench the chain off of her neck. Her heartbroken eyes shot to the barely moving man's form as desperate tears fell.

Stunned into speechlessness, Anton could only stare at his fallen friend with her. The attack had not been a killing blow, but the employee wasn't going anywhere anymore; Everything below his left knee was gone. All that remained was a clean yet crisp stump and the smoldered, frayed edges of his pant leg. The remains leaked blood, but the disintegrating strike appeared to have cauterized most of the wound. Anton couldn't tear his eyes away from it, nor the sight of his friend's weak attempts to right himself fading with every second.

By the angle of his fall, and his sluggish movement, Tyler definitely had a concussion; Naomi likely did too. The third employee was likely already gone. Serenity was restrained, and Angra Mainyu was still fighting off the demon hordes further away. Anton's body scrambled for an answer, but besides closing doors, he had no influence.

" **Da Vinci! Get help to them! Get Help! ANYONE!** _ **PLEASE!"**_ Roman panicked outright, and the inventor beside him winced with her own aggravation and despair.

" **We're trying!"**  Da Vinci barked back wither own overflowing anxiety.  **"Tesla! Fran! If you can go, I think I can ma-"**

The heralding flash of another demon horde made Anton yell in disbelief and terror. Fran swiftly moved to attack one, as Da Vinci stood between another and Roman. Tesla and Shakespeare already moved to attack, but the newly arrived dozen did enough already. The servants were given a hard reminder of another reason why none of them could leave as they acted to crush the newly arrived horde.

All the while, on the monitor, Lev walked casually towards the fallen employee with a growing smirk.

* * *

 **-•===ЯΞΞΞ[** **IX**   **]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

"A fascinating attempt… but ultimately meaningless. As expected."

Gudao's growing optimism shattered against the ground beside Tyler. It had been a welcome distraction from his out-of-control emotions, yet it too ultimately worsened them. As Lev approached, Gudao's hands shook with further anguish and helplessness. Mashu tightened her embrace instinctively, but the act was a bulldozer against an avalanche. He glanced to Mashu, whose distraught and teary eyes looked back at him.

They gazed back to Goetia as the many vision sphere began to fade away, one by one. Each one disappeared with a ring, and the twinkling sound reminded him of a wind chime; It was blown by a gust that signaled the arrival of a tornado… one that was meant for them.

Mashu's grip on her shield tightened as Fou hopped onto Gudao's shoulders. Goetia glanced towards the furry, mysterious critter that seemed to do the most remarkable things at surprising times. Gudao wished it could save them, but he doubted it could do anything that miraculous. It barked, "Fou, fou!"

"…How far you've fallen," the beast pointed out, which confused Gudao. He had no time to ponder it as it gazed back at them. "Mashu Kyrielight. Gudao Fujimaru. It is a shame you did not accept the offer, but it is no matter. This planet's last record shall be a tragedy, then."

It raised its hands to its sides, and Gudao could feel overwhelming energy, more than he'd ever felt for even a split second, begin to gather like a storm. It grew around the light bands that loomed ominously in the distance, and he knew what that meant. Goetia rumbled, "You will be the first to…"

Goetia stopped speaking, and its central eye looked… towards the ground? Though the presence of the heavy energy remained, it began to slowly disperse with Goetia's sudden distraction. Confused, the shaken Gudao looked warily at Goeti- He felt it. There was a presence of magical energy, and it suddenly grew more powerful in the last few seconds! Whoever it was, it moved swiftly from somewhere beneath the island, and appeared right above the-

Gudao flinched, and Mashu yelped as a focused blast of rainbow prana slammed into Goetia. The explosive shockwave sent rubble flying into Mashu's shield, making the master and shielder brace for cover. Fou barked at something in the sky as Goetia growled with frustration. Wait… Did Fou sound… angry?

" **Why are you still alive!?"**  the beast's voice roared through the air. Surprised, then relieved at the familiar laughter, Gudao and Mashu looked towards one of the remaining, tall columns. Atop the marble structure, Merlin's staff charged up new prana as he tossed a golden apple core behind him.

The caster smirked mischievously at Goetia. "The real Solomon hits harder~!"

* * *

 **-•===ЯΞΞΞ[** **X**   **]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

"Ah… This will make dealing with servants easier. I won't need to hide as much anymore…" Lev chuckled out loud as he looked at the grail in his hands. He stood over Tyler, who was swiftly losing consciousness. With dizzy, hazy vision and a pounding head pain, Naomi sluggishly observed the green-suit wearing man. Even in her stupor, she shot an angry glare at him.

He simply smiled back at her as Serenity struggled to break free of her choking binds. "Oh come now, Miss Stolarz. I thought we were on better terms than that?"

"You…!" she growled as viciously as she could, but it sounded pained and weak. Her body was numb, but reacted with groaning agony at the slightest bit of movement. A cacophony of turbulent emotions ravaged her within, but none thundered louder than her anger. It flowed through her dazed mind, acting as her only means of focus. It was all that kept her conscious and active.

Yet it was all so very heavy. Helpless at everything that's happened to her, she was angry at more things than she could count. It threatened to consume her, and though she wanted to lash out at anything, her pained body refused under the trapping weight of her deceased companion. All of this was unfair! So very unfair! They were so close, and he…  _he_  had to appear! The one who took away…!

"Are you still mad about what I did to Olga? I thought you'd be happy to be out from under that cold mage's grasp."

"Shut up!" she managed to cry out. As if the anger wasn't enough, her tears of frustration and despair welled in her eyes and further blurred her faint sight.

Lev only laughed. "Oh, don't be like that! I just want to have a little stress relief before I tie up the last ends! I was just thinking… yes, since you seem to miss her so much, how would you like to see Olga again? Wouldn't that be nice of me?"

Fear and desperation came to the front of her mind, and though her glare remained, she yelped and struggled to free herself from under the corpse. Lev only laughed as she gasped and flinched in pain, all while his surrounding demons looked on patiently. Why were they dragging this out!? Part of her just wanted this all to end! The conflicting thoughts and emotions even threatened to kill her by themselves. This was all too much!

Lev grinned savagely as he took a few steps away from Tyler and towards Naomi. "Ah… but how shall I do it? I could do it slowly and relish in your screams of pain… I'd like to hear Tyler's too, but he appears to have passed out already… Shame. Oh! I have a wonderful idea! What if…! What if instead of letting my demons tear you apart limb by limb, we get you out from under that dreadful corpse… and place you right next to sweet little Serenity over here!"

" **No…!** _ **NOOOO-!"**_  Serenity gasped in horror, and the chains tightened swiftly to silence her. Naomi glanced to the fallen assassin among the rubble, both in terror and hope; Maybe she'd break free. She was desperate for an answer that wouldn't come. As Serenity kicked and flailed in her growing pool of blood, rubble and debris were sent flying nearby. The reinforced staff and seating remains were strewn into the aisle, making Lev chuckle with amusement. Still, she failed to break the restrictive hold.

Lev tossed a delighted grin at her and shook his head. "Oh, don't be like that and make a mess. I think it'd be beautiful irony! Her last protector… also her executioner!"

"…Stop…" the teary-eyed assassin weakly gasped through her restraints. Lev paused, but it was to look towards the stage. With a motion of his head, most of the demons around them swiftly charged away. Through her lethargic haze, Naomi thought she could hear the yells of Angra Mainyu as he fought towards them. She wanted to believe he'd reach them, but that wasn't going to be the case. Her heart had already started to give up with her fading consciousness.

Surrender sounded so pleasant. If she fell unconscious now, like Tyler, she'd break free of all this gruesome pain. Her body felt a bit lighter, and her eyelids a bit heavier. They tempted her into their warm embrace of the growing haze, and she nearly drank from the sweet nectar. She may have given up had she not looked at the ground by her side.

The crocheted red rose she always kept in her hair… her last present from Olga Marie Animusphere, lay discarded on the ground nearby. It was mesmerizing, and still perfectly intact. Its lovely form, that she carefully washed every day, seemed to glow brightly in her eyes even when everything around her took a reddish hue. With but a simple glance, her wish for this all to end changed. She wanted to be out of this nightmare… but she couldn't die! She couldn't!

Her friends…! She wanted to learn more cooking skills with Boudica! She wanted to start that new plush toy line with her best friend, Medea, and make more fashionable clothes with her! She even wanted to hear one of Vlad's occasional, terrible puns again while they were in their usual circle knitting or crocheting! Her will to live roared with a rekindled flame which rivaled the fatigue and soreness that crippled her body. She didn't know how, but she was going to live!

With a raised eyebrow, Lev looked to Naomi as she moved underneath the pinning corpse. She groaned in pain as her hand reached forward and grasped the beautiful flower. Incredulous and amused, Lev watched as Naomi clutched the flower in her hand and glared at him with the might of a cornered tiger; Her ferocity and will clearly meant nothing to him. He laughed, "Oh? Fighting back in your state? Going to beat me to death with that cloth flower?"

In her peripherals, she saw a one in a million chance. There were some pieces of damaged theater seating that Serenity kicked into the aisle. If just one was sharp and hard enough, it could possibly wound him; Many were just small enough for her to move with telekinesis. In her weakened, fading state, she knew she had only one chance at this. It was far away, a slim chance of working even in a healthy state, and she couldn't see which one was the best pick… but this was her only hope.

Lev merely looked at her strangely as her eyes lowered, but the demons looked ready to act. She looked down and tried focusing on one of the blurry piece, all while the disguised demon pillar laughed. "Ah? Acknowledging your worthlessness as a failed magus again? Your mood sure swings quickly!"

It hurt…! It hurt so much, but the piece shook gently as she concentrated. She focused her mind on it, even as it threatened to fade. It was so painful. The headache's pressure made her feel like a submarine. Exponentially, the pain grew unbearable, but she had to try! She wanted to see her friends again! She had to live!

Her mind was aflame. It felt like it was melting and leaked out anywhere it could. She felt tears fall from her eyes, as another warmer liquid filled one of her ears; Blood soon joined the tears as they cascaded down her eyes. It hurt… It hurt **, it hurt,**   _ **it hurt!**_  Her vision was spinning, but she wouldn't give up. In her fading vision, she couldn't see if it was working or not, but she had to try! She had to live! As pain overwhelmed her, yet her resolve didn't waver, she failed to see more and more debris start to shake.

Eclipsed by total agony and unrelenting pain that assaulted her mind, Naomi let out a blood-curdling scream while Lev laughed harder. "Oh?  _Suicide?_  You're killing yourself? Were you that desperate to go meet Ol-  _ **GAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"**_

The scream was the last thing she heard before her consciousness faded away. The grail clattered to the floor as Lev staggered forward. Several pieces of sharp debris had embedded themselves in his back, and Naomi was none-the-wiser of her true accomplishment. Lev writhed and flailed, not because of the debris, but the unintentional weapon Naomi managed to manipulate. He roared and gurgled in pain as he grasped the reinforced staff that had pierced straight through his trachea… a weapon that dripped with his blood and Serenity's.

As Lev struggled against the growing toxin that spread through his body, Naomi's fingers uncurled to unveil the crocheted, red rose she cherished so much.

* * *

 **-•===ЯΞΞΞ[** **XI**   **]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

" **Did Naomi just…!?"**  Tesla mouthed in shock as he stared at the primary monitor. Frankenstein pulled her Bridal Chest off of the disintegrating corpse of the last demon, then stared to the monitor in surprise. Anton's mouth hung open as wide as Shakespeare's, but the playwright quickly began writing swiftly through his notebook.

Roman stared with only minor relief at the clearly dying Lev. Serenity's poison was taking full effect, but he didn't expect  _that_  kind of delivery. Naomi, who could barely lift a water bottle, just rammed a four-foot reinforced staff through the enemy's chest along with countless other debris. It was nothing short of remarkable, but his astonishment was rivaled by his overwhelming anxiety. The bleeding Naomi's blank, half-opened eyes and unresponsive appearance was yet another spear through his heart.

Was she dead? She could just be unconscious! Just like Tyler! But even if they were unconscious at best, someone needed to stop their bleeding before…! Linda was clearly dead, but that didn't mean…! Roman's heart lurched for the hundredth time that hour. Seeing so much death and tragedy! So many beloved faces tormented and…! Guilt swirled within, even as Da Vinci began sending desperate, telepathic messages to anyone nearby. Roman placed a hand over his mouth in disgust.

So much needless bloodshed and terror… Chaldea's staff didn't deserve this! This anarchy needed to come to an end! He wanted this all to be over, but the situation still looked grave! With his heart in his throat, he glanced at the screen again as Angra Mainyu managed to fight his way towards the fallen. Serenity, wounded as she was, shot to her feet to assist as Lev's chains dispersed; The man's writhing came to a slow, gruesome halt as his body began to disintegrate into a sickly haze.

They were making progress… but it wasn't fast enough! There was still too much room for more terror! Oh god, oh beloved god please! Please! Make this all stop! He didn't want to see any more pain! All this tragedy was too much for his crying heart! It needed to stop…! He wanted to hide away from all of it…!

That last line sent lightning through his mind. Like a switch, he suddenly reprimanded himself for a different reason. He was a coward who wanted to run… but wasn't he responsible for all this? He wanted to hide, when he was just as responsible? When there was something he  _could_ do? Something that only he could do when the time was right?

Goetia was their opponent… The magecraft he created and invented. The beast run amok with his powers, but they were  _his_  powers. As clear as day, like a revelation from god he hadn't heard in years, it entered his mind like sunlight in the eye of a hurricane. If Goetia was his creation and responsibility, then there was no avoiding it to begin with. In the end, just as he was the one to start it all, it was only right that he was the one who could truly help end it.

With fists clenched and sudden clarity, an absolute, grim resolve was born within Roman's devastated heart.

* * *

 **-•===ЯΞΞΞ[** **XII**   **]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

" **Serenity! Take the grail out of here!"**

" **I can't touch it! My necklace…! I don't know where it is!"** she cried back through her tears as she danced around a few demons. After a second, they began to succumb to the poison. Angra watched the frustrated assassin keep her distance from the group while hurling poisoned daggers at enemies close to them. Even with her injuries, the anger and frustration clearly drove her to the brink of hysteria. It was a miracle she wasn't going completely ballistic, but he definitely knew why she was still fighting so fiercely. Hell, it was the same reason he was.

He glanced at the unmoving employees and dared to deny they were dead. Even as Tyler's leg seeped, and blood dripped from Naomi's ears, nose, and eyes, he actually dared to believe like some naïve idiot. He cursed his luck as a new group of demons appeared.

" **Your boss is gone! Piss off!"**  Angra roared as his blades quickly tore through one of them. This was ridiculous! Lev was gone, so they shouldn't be able to invade, right? Big bad down, so the mooks need to go too! That's how it worked in most video games that weren't soul-crushingly difficult… Shit, why did this have to be soul-crushingly difficult!? He just wanted to get Tyler and Naomi out of danger, and the grail where it belonged! Where were those reinforcements Da Vinci and Tesla said were coming!?

That's when he heard it. As he jumped back and forth between Tyler and Naomi, fighting anything that dared to get too close, he counted the seconds as they ticked by. He threw Tawrich into the head of an incoming lesser demon, reached down, and plucked the discarded grail off the ground.  **"HURRY!"**

He couldn't leave. If Naomi and Tyler were still alive, he had to protect them against these demons that fought to strike them and the grail. Serenity couldn't get close or risk collateral damage, and so desperately fought from a distance. He couldn't leave, but he didn't need to. He just needed to buy more time! The demons would surely chase this dumb trinket, and he'd have more leeway! He'd be able to patch up Tyler's leg… though he wasn't a medic, by far. He hoped just bandaging it would work.

The sound grew closer... The sound of stomping footsteps that made Angra swell with relief. He was no hero worthy of praise, which was why he was going to protect Naomi and Tyler and  _not_  leave them to die. Running the grail to the generator was a hero's accomplishment… one he believed Tyler should have gotten. Angra Mainyu didn't deserve to run it in… so he wouldn't. No question, he'd just slash and fight lesser demons with Serenity and protect these two.

As a new wave of lesser demons appeared at the doorway, Angra didn't hesitate. Serenity's newest strikes bought him some room to work. As the stomping footsteps grew ever louder outside, the avenger dropped to his knees, and took a javelin-throwing stance.  **"You want it!? You got it!"**

The golden grail took to the air, tumbling quickly, but lightly, through the air and towards the entrance. The demons looked to the grail eagerly with their serpentine heads, and reached for the mighty artifact as it grew nearer. With its trajectory, it would sail right into the center of thei-  **"DIE, OPPRESSORS!"**

With all the force of a buffalo stampede, Spartacus rammed into the group of lesser demons with ease. He swung his sword, decapitating one before he grasped another by its head. With a maniacal laugh and a wide grin, he crushed the demon's head in its hand and hurled the ruined corpse into its comrades. The grail clattered against the ground, then bounced into the hallway outside as Spartacus finished his rampage near the entrance.

Angra merely grinned, waved to Spartacus, and moved to grab his discarded blades. He yelled eagerly,  **"Keep her guarded, big guy! It's all on you now!"**

* * *

 **-•===ЯΞΞΞ[** **XIII**   **]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

It had been a strange, yet unnerving time. With Spartacus as her escort, she felt rather safe considering how easily he dispatched demons. On the downside, Spartacus wanted to save an occasional employee he saw, but they always arrived too late. Delaqua shared in Spartacus' frustration and despair, but couldn't exactly take it out on the demons quite like he could. All the detours meant they wouldn't really get to safety though, which stressed her with every passing minute.

Then the continuous distress calls to help the grail carrier had Spartacus in a frenzy, but he kept running in all the wrong directions. She was just thankful he carried her for most of it, and they ran into less demons compared to before. Rattled, unnerved, but still rather composed, she just wanted to be dropped off in the safety of the Primary Generator room where some employees were being protected from the swarm.

Instead, by some machination of fate,  _she_  was now carrying the grail and running for dear life.  _'Stay calm, Val. You can do this. Just another one of Leo's personal training sessions.'_

She was fit. Unbelievably fit compared to all other employees. All her training, both with her servant friends and alone, had done even more wonders in the past few months. Her speed was blistering, and her stamina on a scale far above every other employee. With the grail in hand, she ran as fast as the best Olympic athletes down a track… and she was still picking up speed when a flash of light appeared just behind her.

" **Be free, Val! I will handle these oppressors!"** Spartacus roared as he assaulted the group of demons that appeared behind her. With vicious swing, he tried to cut a path through the giant swarm that warped in, but they acted as a blockade. While most turned to stall her escort, others began to accelerate after her.

A flash down another corridor sent her heart thumping harder, but local klaxons blared. Security doors all along intersecting corridors began to close; Someone in control hopefully just left a straight path to the Primary Generator, and blocked off enemy reinforcement routes. She pumped her unused arm and ran, feeling the adrenaline swarming her system and pushing her forward. She was a rocket that tore down the hallway towards an intersection, and the demons behind her were having trouble catching up compared to the other employees.

She glanced back to see Spartacus charging down the pursuing demons. With a surprised but nervous look, she turned around. They were having trouble catching up to her! All that training was paying off here and now! Not letting up for an instant, she drove her feet into the ground harder, and mentally heard Leonidas, Spartacus, and Quetzalcoatl's encouraging cheers they always gave her. She ran, with her heart beating steadily, and her leg muscles feeling a bit tight, but not fatigued.

The intersection approached, but she barely slowed down. She moved to the edge of the corridor, then made as large a turn as possible. Her momentum was going to make her crash into the wall of the new hallway… the only unblocked hallway… the last one that led straight to the primary generator! She merely kept her pace, then leapt at the last moment. Her feet ran along the wall, keeping most of her inertia until she could jump safely back to the ground.

Chasing Demons were forced to slow down at the intersection, which cost them dearly when Spartacus' muscular body slammed the back half into the front. They were stacked like pancakes against the door, and the mighty gladiator swung his sword for a decisive strike to ensure sure they wouldn't keep following. There was no time to breathe, though, as two flashed appeared in front of and behind Delaqua. She was so close to the Generator Room, she could hear Beowulf's fighting at the doorway!

Delaqua wasn't about to give up now… and neither were her allies! Jack materialized out of spirit form, and turned into a swift blur before her. The center demons shrieked as they were swiftly dismembered, faster than Delaqua could register. Her relief swelled in her, but the anxiety-fueled adrenaline kept her firing on all cylinders. She bolted through the gap the assassin created, and yelled, "Thanks, Cutie!"

Jack giggled, and assaulted the remaining demons as Delaqua sprinted towards the Primary Generator. She could see the demon swarm ahead, but it did not deter her. Safety was before her. Their home's salvation was in her grasp. All that separated them from the room was a cluster of demons and seventy meters of hallway. She pumped her arms and bolted, running faster than she ever had before; If only Leonidas could see her now, she imagined he'd be wearing that cheezy, warm, and secret smile he only gave to her.

" **Grail! Coming in!"**  she yelled at the top of her lungs in hopes Beowulf or someone else would hear her. She was answered swiftly as the demon horde before her practically exploded a few seconds later. Beowulf's roar echoed through the hallway as a chunk of the horde was sent sprawling towards the ceiling. They came down, sending the vast remainder into discord. Still, others turned to move at her, but she felt the presence of Jack and Spartacus coming up behind her, but her berserker friend wasn't fast enough.

Like a speeding bullet, Jack appeared before her as a demon charged. With two swift strikes, its legs were off, and it crumbled to the ground before her. Delaqua maintained speed and jumped on the falling demon's back. She used it as a springboard to jump onto the next one that lunged at her, just as Jack severed the arm of another that tried to strike. She landed on the ground and kept running as the assassin distracted and assaulted two more targets.

" **I'm sending them airborne! SLIDE FOR HOME!"**  Beowulf's powerful swing from Naegling sent the last blockade of demons soaring away from the doorway. Delaqua skillfully wrapped the grail in her arms and slid beneath the flying demons. As they sailed safely over her, her nose filled with a stench like rotten eggs; It did not overpower the sweet smell of victory as she slid over the small indent on the ground that marked the room's door. She sprung to her feet as two robots swiftly hovered towards her.

She made it… She made it!


	5. Chapter 4: Final Resolution

Anton worked frantically to close the last security doors. It was a welcome distraction from the excruciating pain within, but it was something he could do to help further. With the exception of Tyler and Naomi, all other employees were now safe in other rooms, but even that was changing soon. Their fate was out of his hands now, and all he could do was possibly open security doors to let them move to a better location.

Thankfully, good news had finally arrived on a sparkling chariot. Da Vinci cheered with overwhelming relief. "Babbage is booting the power system!"

Barely seconds later, Anton was forced to squint his eyes as the room became brighter. The hum of electronics restarting echoed in the adjacent Deployment Chamber as the red lighting was replaced. As his eyes readjusted, the colorful world never looked so beautiful or relieving to the employee. With teary eyes, a likely mix of joy and remaining sadness, Frankenstein hugged him tightly. Even he found himself giving a small shout of victory as he hugged her, if only to try and smother the unbelievable anxiety that remained.

They were far from out of the woods yet.

Da Vinci scrambled and typed on the primary console, but Anton noticed Roman had remained ominously still the whole time. The blank look on his face unnerved him. A thousand-yard stare merely gazed towards the primary monitor, where Merlin was putting up a commendable fight against Goetia. Not even an ounce of relief or joy from the Doctor, and it troubled him. Had he already fallen numb and broken to the surrounding anguish? Was mental and emotional trauma taking its toll on him first?

Frankenstein and Tesla noticed too, but Da Vinci was too preoccupied finishing up her tasks. "Anishka!? Anishka!? Can you hear me!? Hello!? Anyone at the Landing Zone!?"

"Da-… ci!? …dea! Chaldea are-… you there!? Da Vinci!?" Anishka's voice quickly stabilized and boomed over the speakers in the room. The inventor breathed with uncontrolled relief. "What's happening over there!? Is everyone alright!?"

She grimaced, but responded evenly. "There's been… a lot of casualties. We've lost most of the generators, but we're trying to get the Leyshift System back online! Chaldea has weathered the storm, but we're going to need reinforcements if Goetia sends another pillar our way!"

"I'll ready a team to send back! We still can't do anything on this end!"

"Thank you! We'll contact you when we get it operational!" Da Vinci quickly answered before switching off the communications link. "Anton, can you assist with the rebooting process? It should take only a few minutes with your help. I don't want this to take any longer than it needs to."

"…I don't either," Roman finally murmured, and the calmness in his voice unnerved Anton. "Da Vinci… You're in command. I'm going."

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ Ω ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

_**Chapter 4: Final Resolution** _

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ Ω ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

"That Merlin…" Gabrielle huffed as she sat with crossed arms… still in the same spot she had been.

This was not the plan she thought it was going to be. When he said he was going to need her help, she didn't think it was a command seal, any extra spell enchantments to boost his agility, and her remaining apple supply; She thought she was actually going to  _help_  him herself. Instead, she was told to  _stay_  here, with his special concealment cape wrapped tightly around her, and wait for reinforcements…  _ **Definitely**_  not what she had in mind.

Gudao was likely in turmoil. Mashu would probably be just as guilty about her death. God, she wanted to be there reassuring them everything was alright! However, as much as she was worried about the sanity of those two, she had to admit Merlin had a point… a damn good one at that.

Goetia was ready to kill her outright. If she appeared again, that beast would likely try it again without hesitation. It was better to wait patiently and use her last command seal for something important. She had already boosted Merlin to practically full strength, so she'd have to place her bets on him now.

With the cloak clutched tightly to herself, she moved closer to the edge of the little rock formation. There were countless floating rocks among the bottom of this starry land, which resembled an asteroid field of sorts. The outcrop she was on was tucked into the side of the central isle, away from the prying eyes of the surrounding circle thanks to the large island above that acted as a sloping roof. The only direction she could really see anything was forward into the purple-tinted space…

…or down. She really didn't want to look down, though, but it did serve as an annoying reminder she had literally nowhere to go. The central island's encompassing barrier hummed just beneath her, and her imagination ran wild with ideas on what would happen if she fell into it; She definitely was not looking to die. However, even as her impulses urged her to do something, or anything, to try and help, she had to suppress them.

Gabrielle had to be patient and wait for some sort of cue or opportunity… even if patience was one of the last words anyone would use to describe her.

* * *

 **-•===ЯΞΞΞ[** **III**   **]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

' _Perhaps taunting Goetia was a poor first move after all…'_

Barely a second after taunting the beast, it had moved to attack. Its speed was terrifying. Its sheer power was more than he wanted to expect or believe. Merlin knew he was in for the battle like no other, but not to this extent; He didn't even have any leeway to telegraph to Gudao and Mashu Gabrielle was perfectly safe! If he lost concentration for even a millisecond, Goetia could kill him far sooner than he wanted! He had to buy time!

Merlin landed on another ruined column, but he had only a fraction of a second to put up a field around his drawn sword: A mimicry of Excalibur. His incantations were thankfully flawless, and he leapt backwards just as the lilac barrier, like a field of flowery pedals, blossomed at the top of the blade. The pristine, yet powerful shield hummed with energy… and shattered instantly as one of Goetia's fists rammed through it like a freight train against a bicycle.

He spun his staff in his other hand, mouthing a new incantation; He was on a roll of not biting his tongue this battle! A beam of rainbow light slammed into Goetia, but it splattered off of him like falling rain on concrete; It was ultimately useless, but it bought a bit of leeway.

Merlin narrowed his eyes. Goetia was almighty in this realm, and they had no choice but to fight him here. Any and all attacks that came near him were rendered worthless, or absorbed as he pleased. Absolutely everything. Even getting close to Goetia when it attacked, Merlin could feel the steady drain of his energy just by proximity; It was no wonder those who tried to melee him pulled back immediately.

He doubted any reality marbles, which could pull him away from this realm, would work either. They'd likely just collapse as they formed, leaving the servant open to retaliation. Though no longer a Grand Servant, King Hassan's blade, which could impose the concept of death on anything, failed to do anything to Goetia. All his hesitations and theories about this beast were personally confirmed absolute as he tried fighting it himself.

Goetia didn't bluff when it stated it was unstoppable here. No servant would be able to lay a hand on him… except for one. And that servant needed everything in place to do what was necessary. That's part of the reason Merlin danced around the central isle so much, if only to confirm their last hope. To his delight, they were indeed there… the nine rings of Solomon that had been discarded up on that pristine throne. The nine rings Goetia had when he possessed Solomon's body were a set of ten, but he knew exactly where that one was.

When the time came, it'd be in that man's hands to open yet another door forward for humanity's victory.

Its central eye gazed towards him, and it outstretched its arms as it floated in midair. Merlin was quick to form a new incantation before the beast fired at him. An exact clone of the caster formed on the ground, and he quickly switched himself with it as flawlessly as he could. Position, expression, false charging spell… All of it was mimicked perfectly as only the Magus of Flowers could when he took things seriously. He had no choice but to at such a critical juncture.

Not a millisecond later, a firestorm of dense pink prana tore through the skies like a broadside from a galleon. They littered the air around Merlin's clone, exploding viciously around it as some tore straight through like a shotgun against an origami crane. The clone imploded with sparkles, and Goetia halted its attack. Merlin had been mouthing new incantations already, because Goetia knew exactly where he was. It wanted him dead at all costs, which was understandable.

He wasn't the only beast that wanted him dead, but at least Fou liked to watch him suffer whenever it could…

But he wouldn't die yet. He wouldn't allow it. This body had to buy just a bit more time while the real him worked on the lone possibility that had been revealed to him by another traveler. This battle would be won by Chaldea's hands, but they couldn't do it alone. He'd been incredibly vague about it, but it had been enough to spur him curiously into motion back then. He still didn't understand some of its intricacies, or even its source… Was the will of Alaya's Counter Force reaching even here? Was the Throne acting on its own in self-preservation?

It didn't matter what the possibilities were. It was just the fact such a ludicrous hope was there proved enough to take the risk when all other options had been smashed on the rocky surf. If what that detective predicted was right, then there was a chance that Ars Paulina's position outside of space and time would be Goetia's undoing. All he needed was the time for the final stars to align. Merlin smirked. "I'm still here! Aren't you going to try hard-"

He barely dodged a punch that would have severed his leg, which had been followed up by nearly a dozen others in a blink. He worked to form a new barrier as he narrowed his eyes at the equally frustrated beast. Its proximity sent shivers down his spine as he felt his od slowly draining again.

' _Right. Stop taunting it. I'll last longer.'_

* * *

 **-•===ЯΞΞΞ[** **IV**   **]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

" **Get him, Merlin!" "I can't believe I'm cheering for that pranking asshole!"** "Is he even hurting Goetia?" "Who cares, he's doing  **something**!" _ **"KICK HIS ASS!"**_

"Looks like their spirits are focused again," Scathach noted with a tiny smirk and crossed arms. Sita and Rama nodded happily beside her.

"Thanks goodness…" Anishka smiled with relief as she glanced around the Beachhead. Barely a minute ago, they were consumed by frustration and helplessness. Many of the most powerful servants in Chaldea could do little but stand and watch a tragedy unfold. There had been arguments and growing discord, and Anishka was ashamed that Jeanne, Rama, Scathach, and several others had to help her keep the growing discontent to a minimum; She wanted to do something, just like them.

It was truly, truly relieving that they could now. Even if it was just cheering, Chaldea had reestablished contact. There had been casualties, but all was not lost. Merlin had also reappeared and was putting up a spectacular fight against all odds. Even through the barriers, the spells he unleashed in an attempt to attack Goetia were like a celebratory firework show that rebolstered their spirits. Though it was just cheering for now, Anishka could see the rising hope in everyone.

Even Gilgamesh and Ozymandias now waited with crossed arms beside each other. There was a seriousness in their eyes, but their forms spoke of patience. Ereshkigal was barely keeping herself contained with her own growing urgency to act, and the confidence she'd get to do so too. King Hassan was the only one who looked as stoic as ever with his hands on the pommel of his greatsword, but she'd guess he too waited eagerly for the time to charge.

At least the worry over what happened in Chaldea didn't seem to get most down. In truth, it scraped at her mind her, and she was angry she couldn't be there to help heal any who were injured. She knew she wasn't the only one as Nightingale's hands seemed to flex and curl uncontrollably nearby. She sympathized with her; As fellow medical practitioners, the altruistic need to help others was something that helped them bond quickly.

Just hearing about any injured did crazy things to the motivations of a healer. It was a beckoning only those in the field could truly understand, and the situation tore her apart. She wanted to help those at home, but as a master, she had to stay here. At the very least, she could help heal their dear comrades in the field. They could be helped back to their feet, but she wasn't sure if they could be returned to the fight so easily. It made the battle ahead look impossibly daunting, but she had renewed determination thanks to Merlin's fight and Chaldea's defense.

Anishka was more than ready to do her part, just like the servants around her. They just needed a way forward to open.

* * *

 **-•===ЯΞΞΞ[** **V**   **]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

The Control Room had been silent at Roman's simple question. Slight confusion filled Tesla's eyes, even as he worked to get the system activated. Frankenstein was completely perplexed, but Anton looked a bit nervous at what he could mean. Shakespeare's focus remained on the monitors, but more and more of his attention was attracted to the doctor; His pen never stopped scribbling all the while.

"…You're serious, aren't you?" Da Vinci said it firmly, yet anyone could hear the uncertainty, and even sadness, in her voice. It was rare for Roman to ever hear Da Vinci like this, but she only reserved it around him. They were closer than anyone ever realized beyond teases, and it scratched at his already numb heart to prove it could still bleed.

It was a steady, but powerful beat now. An unusual sense of calmness had followed that mental clarity, or maybe it was just his numbness to the whole situation. Second thoughts still swirled within, but his determination already won out when he saw the rings on the monitor. So much tragedy… so many tears he wanted to shed, yet he couldn't. He only turned with blank, yet firm, eyes to Da Vinci. She too held steady, but under that façade of seriousness she wore to conceal her own stress, he could see the growing heartache in her eyes.

"I am." He sighed quietly, and noted the room was unbearably silent even as sounds echoed from the monitors. "…Please don't make this any harder than it already is."

"For a coward like you? I thought a decision like this would be impossible…" she chuckled almost mirthlessly with a forced, tiny smile. It all looked so fake to him, as she tried so hard. "A guy like you would be cowering in some dark corner praying for someone to end this nightmare…"

He stared at her, at the crazy, self-absorbed woman who had been by his side for so long. She'd heard every one of his concerns, secrets, and insecurities. She'd help him manage it better than Magi*Mari, which in truth, became more of just a habitual check for a second opinion as time went on; It still excited him like a kid, but it wasn't his true anchor. All he really needed was her opinion these days, and not her tears.  _Definitely_  not her tears.

She looked as strong as ever, likely to everyone else but him. However, as much as he wanted to stay here, safe within Chaldea's walls, this was something only he could do. He wanted to reassure her… to hug her, and lie that it would all be fine. More than anything, he wished he could have been braver and acted on so many regrets he now held… So many regrets of things he wanted, but would now never have.

His left thumb gently rubbed the ring finger, which held their hopes around it in the form of a lone ring. "…I'm sorry, Leona. I can't be a coward today."

Shakespeare was writing the lines, but the confusion on his face as he turned to Tesla was matched by the archer. The lone robot continued to work with one eye trained on them, while Anton and Frankenstein only watched silently. Merlin's surprised yelp on the monitor as an explosion struck too close for comfort acted as a hard reminder that time as ticking. After her silent pause of pondering, Da Vinci nodded slowly, but her sad smile faded into obscurity. "…I won't stop you then. I can't stop you."

"Stop him…?" Tesla finally voiced.

As his eyes glowed with blossoming resolve, Roman turned to him. "Tesla, we'll leyshift the reinforcements in after you get me into the singularity."

"Y-You want to  **what**!?" Anton spat out in total disbelief, and even Shakespeare had to pause writing to stare at Roman in surprise. "Why would you attempt that!?"

Tesla stared incredulously. "I intend no offense, Roman, but that doesn't make any sense. Even if you could theoretically do  _something_ , your leyshift compatibility is-"

"A hundred percent. I lied about it," Da Vinci countered with a steady voice. She had begun typing away to bring the Leyshift System back online, and Roman was thankful she was completely on board with this. She always supported him, even if it came with some teases at his expense, and he was glad she wasn't putting up any resistance now. Tesla stared at her in disbelief. "We're sending Roman into the field first. You heard him. Get the Leyshift system running ASAP!"

"Can someone at least help me understand  **why** …  _please?_ " Anton begged, even as he followed his boss' request. Frankenstein moaned in confusion too.

"Because It's something only he can do… he's Chaldea's secret trump card," Da Vinci stated as Roman opened his mouth to answer. He closed it again, and though the others still seemed skeptical, at least Shakespeare wasn't. He was giddily writing down the new development without worry.

Anton sighed. "How mysterious… As you say, boss. I hope you're right."

"It will be ready in two minutes," Tesla noted, even as he frowned with disbelief.

"Good," the female caster responded evenly. She didn't turn away from the console for a second. "Get down there, Roman. We can't afford to waste any more time beyond that."

Her voice was flat, and even a bit frosty. She busied herself in her work, which was the sure sign she was upset. This was her way of distracting herself, and the cold shoulder was the visual cue they were done talking; She wouldn't get in his way, but she had no further words for him. That would be it between them. No closure after everything they've been through together. No answer to all the possible flirting he knew she purposefully loved to toss his way.

Their final words weren't enough for him, but he supposed that was the best answer. He didn't want this to hurt any more than it needed to. It was short and simple, and nothing that would try to plant hesitation in his mind; Neither hers, it seemed. She helped pave the way one final time for what he needed to do, and that was more than he could have asked for. This would just be another regret, a possible what if should he have dared to see what love-filled moments between them would be like.

Yet it wouldn't hold him back from what must be done. It stung, but his pounding heart and resolve to end further unnecessary tragedy urged him to take the first step away. Among the quiet chorus of typing computers, the roars of Merlin's battle echoed through the room as he walked towards the-

Roman's wrist was seized, and he was pulled backward. He winced at the tingling prickles from the glass cuts, but his eyes quickly widened in shock as Da Vinci crashed her lips into his. There was a gasp somewhere in the room, and the sound of Shakespeare's frantic writing, but Roman didn't care. Shock, panic, and distress rocked through him as Da Vinci kept him close by grabbing his dirtied uniform fiercely; He couldn't run from this.

Even as most of him anguished over the potential, future pain the act would cause… he  _wouldn't_  run from this.

Roman placed his hands roughly on Da Vinci's sides and held her close. His eyes shut, and he pushed eagerly and hungrily into her affection. She let out a tiny moan of delight, and loosened her grip so the hand could run freely through his hair. It would have been less painful if it was just a peck, but he let his heart take the agony of this sweet act. As quickly as it seemingly began, it was over, and she found himself staring into her sad yet admiring eyes he'd grown to love so much.

This would be their first, and likely last… but it would not make him act on his growing hesitations; He had to do this. She smiled, "…Don't think too hard about that."

He nodded quietly to Da Vinci, and offered one of the sincerest smiles he's worn in his life. "…Leona… I lo-"

She placed a finger to his lips to silence him, and offered one of those tiny smirks that danced through his dreams. "…I know. Don't waste any more time, idiot."

Yea… She would say something like that in a moment like this. He gifted a tiny smile back. "…Thank you..."

It pained him as they broke apart. His heart cried for more, but his resolve walked him away quickly. That was one less regret in his heart, even if it birthed a dozen more. It was one lasting regret and question that would no longer have any sway. His smile slowly faded, and so did Da Vinci's as she returned to the monitor. They ignored the shocked and confused expressions that everyone else gave them as they went about what must be done.

As much as he wanted to stay, humanity's future must be secured at any cost.

Roman exited the Control Room with a steadfast glint in his eyes.

* * *

 **-•===ЯΞΞΞ[** **VI**   **]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

Mashu trembled with conflict before Gudao, but kept herself between Goetia and Merlin at all times. He kept himself close, and shared in her current confusion and turmoil. This battle made a wonderful distraction from his deadly heartache, but Merlin was concerning him just as much. Every moment of the battle was so fiercely decisive, Merlin couldn't even manage a telepathic communication; It was obvious, even as they danced rapidly in the distance, any one of Goetia's hits could be his la-

He gasped as a punch connected.  **"Merlin!"**

Like a meteor, Merlin's body tore through the skies. He slammed through a column and spun. Blood flew from his mouth, but his lips continued to mouth the incantations. Just in time, he shunted himself safely to another spot on the ground. Barely a moment later, a beam of crimson energy slammed into his original point of impact. The shockwave of dense prana staggered Merlin, but he quickly evaded forward as Goetia's unbelievably agile form appeared beside the caster.

Excalibur spun in his hands once more, and he slammed the ground before him viciously. A column of air erupted before him, sending rocky debris into the skies as Goetia fired another bombardment of beams. The rocks shielded Merlin long enough for him to flicker away yet again, but the beast had been learning his tricks with unparalleled speed; It was already on top of the caster again, throwing punch after punch like a professional boxer on fast forward.

"Senpai! At this rate, Merlin will really…!"

" **Don't you dare go down on us!"**  Gudao yelled out as he thrust his hand towards the caster. The seals on the back of his hand flared, and one of his three was expended.

Merlin flickered with delivered magical energy. Even if his energy levels were largely restored, he didn't give a single wave or nod in thanks; Gudao would rather he didn't anyway. He was able to do something, but he could only bide their time, and provide support spells when it wouldn't overtax him. Poor Mashu was forced to stick to his side for his protection, yet he feared what one of Goetia's attacks would do to her.

Still, his hope remained. Gudao didn't know what Merlin was buying time for, but he just hoped it was just what they needed!

* * *

 **-•===ЯΞΞΞ[** **VII**   **]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

"Beautiful! Oh, what the muses doth bring this humble witness!" Shakespeare declared loudly as he wrote happily in his notebook. "The drama! The emotion! Such-!"

"Quiet, Shakespeare!" The irritated Anton and Frankenstein turned to Tesla in surprise; The archer spoke up before he could. Tesla, with a calm, yet serious look, stared at the playwright who scratched his head in confusion. The archer merely motioned towards Da Vinci, who remained silent as she typed away at the primary console. Her eyes were focused, yet her breathing was purposefully calming; Even Anton could feel uncertainty and anxiety wash off her likes choppy waves on a beach.

How could he not? He was also just as worried over their acting director being warped into a lion's den.

Even as Anton worked, and they restored the final coordinates, the previous event played endlessly in his mind. Not the fact that his boss, who he knew was not in a relationship with Doctor Roman, had just kissed him for the first time he was aware of. That was only mildly surprising because she  _did_  always hint to him and Tyler that she had a special admiration of him.

No, it was certainly Roman's actions, which stunned him. He was a regular guy, just like him and… Well, that's what he thought at least. Apparently he had a trump card of sorts, and he sure believed in it judging by the resolve in his eyes. He was adamant about this, and Da Vinci just agreed to let him do it. They obviously knew something he didn't, but he seriously wanted to understand sooner rather than later. Maybe it'd end this horrific nightmare like their words suggested.

There was a flash outside, and Anton's eyes shot to one of the monitors as Frankenstein inched a little closer to him in paranoia. Fuuma and his many shinobi allies from his noble phantasm moved like clockwork to keep the Leyshift system secure. Joined by the serious, yet grinning Jaguarman, and Jing Ke, the newly arrived lesser demons would soon be dispatched. Two dozen had appeared judging by the monitors, yet the servants became much better at predicting where they'd appear.

In an instant, several shuriken had found their way into the necks of several demons. A comical tiger paw smashed another one backwards into the rest of its warped-in group. Another swiftly found its throat slit, and another was cleanly backstabbed barely a second later. It was dangerous down there, yet, even as one charged towards Roman, the doctor hadn't even flinched once as he stood on his chosen pad.

With fists clenched, he merely stared forward and waited calmly as the final demons were taken care of. That resolve was something to be admired, even if he didn't understand why it was there. As he pondered just what the doctor hid up his sleeve, a few loud registered beeps confirmed the system was green lit. Tesla nodded, "All set, Da Vinci."

"Fire it up, and get ready to prime it again after he's sent," Da Vinci stated with a near monotone voice. Anton did not like the sound of her missing, usual enthusiasm. He'd even take her stressed voice over this troubling monotone one. She reached a hand over the primary console, and activated communications to the singularity with the press of a button. "Anishka. Prepare to receive a Leyshift."

"…Wait. Receive? Can you repeat that?" Anishka's dumbfounded voice echoed over the line. Da Vinci didn't answer, but merely threw a lever on the console, and stared out the window. Done with his work for now, Anton looked up at the monitor depicting the Deployment Room at a better angle.

Roman slowly turned back and looked towards the broken Control Room window. Da Vinci continued to stare as the tension in her hands lightened ever so slightly. Though he couldn't see if from his angle, he knew their eyes met. The system roared to life outside, and still they gazed at one another. She offered one final, tiny smile, and yelled into the room. "Be back by dinner, Roman!"

He gave the tiniest of smiles back. "Don't be mad if I'm late!"

**\- Authorization Codes Confirmed. Target Singularity, Uncategorized Anomaly -**

**\- Unsummon Program start -**

**\- Molecular Reversion start –**

The tinge of sadness in Da Vinci's eyes could not be missed by anyone.

* * *

 **-•===ЯΞΞΞ[** **VIII**   **]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

Roman always joked to Gudao that his first Leyshift would be a memorable experience, should the time ever arrive; He was sad it actually did. It felt so strange, but the blinding light had only lasted for a few seconds. Wind howled around him as what he thought was light, or time itself, circled him like a storm. He felt weightless as he flew through the roaring tunnel towards his destiny. If only the situation wasn't so dire, he may have appreciated this experience more.

His stomach churned in protest as the light of the fantastical tunnel faded from his sight, and his feet came to rest on solid ground. His vision slowly came into focus within this starry point in space. The massive crimson barrier towered before him like a giant gatekeeper, and it hummed with its ominous energies. Its sound was drowned out by the sudden gasps of servants around him, yet he remained numbly calm with curled fists and a steadfast stare aimed towards the central isle.

"Doctor Roman!?" Anishka cried out over the mass of murmurs. As confusion ran rampant among the many servants, Anishka still stood on the rocky outcrop that gave her that slightly better vantage point. "Why did they send you!? It's not safe here!"

"It's safer than Chaldea at the moment…" he grimly murmured, yet his eyes didn't leave sight of Merlin's frantic battle in the distance. That damn caster… putting up an actual, serious fight for once, even if he can't win. It would have been even more inspiring had that infuriating caster not gotten on his nerves so many times. Roman sighed, "But that's not why I'm here… I trust you've got a team ready to send back?"

"We've been ready to head back!" Nightingale declared avidly, yet her gaze didn't leave his bandaged arm. He could feel it on him even if he didn't turn around. "That wound… It's poorly sterilized. Rushed medical procedures are unacceptable. This is how infections start. You're a doctor, Roman, you  **know**  better."

"The first aid kit didn't survive the initial attack, Miss Nightingale," Roman replied back evenly as a spark of urgency swam into her eyes. He did his best to hold his emotions together as he swallowed hard. "There's… a lot of injured in Chaldea. They need you more than my glass cuts do. I'll manage."

Nightingale nodded fiercely, "Our allies here are in danger, but that's something that can be taken care of immediately. We'll secure the homefront, but you need to give me your arm right now!"

"Then be quick about it, and don't you dare cut it off," he mouthed off quickly as he offered the limb to Nightingale. In a minute, she was by his side, pulling out her specialized, prana-forged bandages and medicines from her bag. Faster than he'd like, the rough remains of his uniform's sleeve and accompanying bandages were off. A stinging sterilizer of some kind was poured onto his arm, yet he didn't wince. He merely let Nightingale do her thing without complaint.

Roman was actually glad that barrier was up; He wasn't sure if Nightingale would have agreed if she had any other options. Injured right in front of her, that she could reach, would have been an absolute magnet. He was glad he'd be the last available case, but that was a small boat of hope in his numbly distressed state. Chaldea would have another powerful healer at home, and hopefully the many injured could be saved… Injured like… like…

He clenched his fists as Anishka's wrist-mounted intercom flared to life. "Anishka. Ready to receive."

As the murmurs continued, Anishka looked in disbelief to Roman, then back at her device. "Da Vinci, why is Roman here!?"

"Get them into a group. I don't want to waste time." The unnerving calmness of her voice lashed at Roman's shaking mind, but he wouldn't falter.

As Anishka gave in, and yelled rallies for the servants returning, she sounded oh so far away. The clashes of Merlin's distant battle roared louder, and the conversations among the servants were soundless. Da Vinci was holding herself strong, and so should he. He had a task to fulfill for all their sake. He didn't even take notice when Nightingale had swiftly finished her task, mouthed strict orders to keep the wound clean, and walked off as the chorus of concern grew louder.

"Roman! You didn't answer why you're here!" "Did calling him a coward so many times get to him?" "What happened back in Chaldea!?" "Why are  _you_  here!?"

Their lips moved in his peripherals, yet he couldn't hear anything they said. He'd been so ready to act, and yet he'd forgotten about the barrier in his tunnel-vision. He was on the path forward, yet it was blocked. He could transform here with his lone ring, but without the other nine in close proximity, his ultimate act remained unavailable. He couldn't allow himself to perish in vain, but he wanted to force his way forward before his current numb calmness faded. The pain needed to end, for him and for everyone.

Lost in his thoughts, he ignored the quiet, yet calm stare from Gilgamesh as he stepped into view before him. Ozymandias and Iskandar looked between the King of Heroes and Roman, but even their mighty presence didn't shake him free of his internal, desperate battle against a flooding, breaking dam. He just looked forward at Goetia's blurry, powerful form, and prayed Merlin, or someone, had a way to bring this barrier down so this couldn't get any more painfu-

"Roman." No…

No, no, no…! Not him! Not  _him_ …!

"Why did you come here?"

The doctor kept his gaze focused, even as a concerned David walked over with his ornate shepherd cane in hand. Roman forced himself not to look, even as his body trembled at the sound of that quiet voice which thundered through him. His hands remained clenched, and his eyes remained focused as Gilgamesh studied him quietly. David continued his approach until he stood almost right before him, and Roman was finding it harder to hold himself together.

For months since his arrival, David had been a magnet for Roman. They'd become friends, and he appreciated every moment he got to spend with a father he never truly knew. He'd come to appreciate him for all his worth, which did include his womanizing tendencies and perversion at times. It was so different from the distanced memories he remembered as a stoic, god-blessed child in their kingdom. It was why he didn't want to see him not… He, who he could never reveal the truth to.

Immersed in silence his voice seemed to cause, Roman didn't realize it was because everyone had fallen hushed to watch. The deafening roar and blinding light of the Leyshift system activating sundered it for a moment, but then the silence returned. Roman was left to his raging emotions as he tried to form a careful response. David's presence, which Roman came to feel as familiar, calm, and welcoming, threatened to break the scaffolding of his hastily raised barricades.

Hesitations gained ground in his heart. Still, he managed to keep firm, narrowed eyes aimed at the central isle and declared, "It's hard to explain… but I have to be here."

Blackbeard scoffed somewhere in the crowd. "Uh, yea it'd be hard to explain why a  **normal human**  is here, but out with it! It better be good!"

"No. It's… difficult to explain! You just have to trust me!"

"We do trust you, Roman, but please… I don't understand why you've put yourself in danger," Anishka voiced over a growing number of inquiries. "Please! You have to return!"

No! He couldn't do that! He wouldn't do that! This tragedy needed to end! All the pain he's witnessed and terrible fates must stop! His voice was even, uncompromising, yet pained. "I can't! I have to be here!"

Roman grew more frustrated as the questions mounted; It's not like they had anything better they could actually do at the moment. Roman's fists shook, and he grit his teeth as he attempted calming breaths. He didn't want to reveal it here. If he explained himself to everyone, that meant David would find out. It was hard enough as it is not telling him, or resisting the urge to lie to himself and find another way… so he could stay happy with Da Vinci, David, and the others.

But what if they tried to stop him? If he didn't explain himself, then the servants wouldn't let him go! He might be forced to transform here, but then what would Goetia do!? He needed to do it close to the rings he saw on the throne! He couldn't be killed by Goetia before he could stop this madness! His only sure certainties that remained, were that he  _needed_  to be here, and that he was the  _only_  one who could harm the dreaded beast in its current state.

Yet the difficulties! The barrier was still up! He was on the verge of finally breaking down! If that happened, how much would he hesitate in a critical moment as David tried to convince him otherwise!? This was too much… This was all too much when he just wanted it to stop!

"Don't tell me you're going to falter now, Roman," Gilgamesh's voice boomed over the others, silencing them quickly. "I thought better of you."

With a shaky voice, yet firm eyes locked at the central isle, he shook his head. "No… I'm not going to falter. I have to do this!"

Drake stared incredulously at Gilgamesh. "Do what? There's nothing the cowardly Roman can do that we can't!"

"I think there is," David disagreed loudly, calmly, and certainly, and it sent shivers through Roman… Shivers of dread and encouragement. Unconsciously, his eyes finally turned to David as the archer stared at him with that sincere, proud smile he'd received so many times from him recently. That… That look of understanding he had…! Fear and doubt took hold of his legs, and his heartbeat seemed to slow as the dear friend, and unknowing father, cast his stone.

"I think we just have to trust his words, and believe in Chaldea's First Servant… Isn't that right, Solomon?"

His spoken name threw him into the pits of agony. Yet, even as his emotions flared within, his voice held. "…You knew…"

No…  **No!**  He wasn't supposed to know! David wasn't supposed to know! Roman promised himself that he'd tell him after all of this was over, assuming he didn't have to go through with the final act! He didn't want him to suffer with even more pain knowing that the vulgar son he wished to understand better was right before him this whole time! Da Vinci couldn't have… Was it Gilgamesh…!? No… Neither of them would! He knew it in his breaking heart even before David said it…!

Even as shock, anxiety, and uncertainty exploded amongst the surrounding servants, who definitely heard, Roman couldn't hear or see any of it. He could only stare at his father, who continued to smile proudly back and nod. It had been a shot to the heart, and a trojan horse that may have given his emotions a firmer foothold against unhindered action.

His vision blurred, and his knees felt weak. He wobbled, and tried to mouth something… anything! This wasn't supposed to play out like this…! None of this was supposed to go this way! Why couldn't anything just go smoothly!? Tears began to form in Roman's eyes... but his expression remained numb, yet stunned.

Even if that absolute resolve and clarity remained that this was what he must do, his emotions threatened to cripple him. As the fight raged within, his pained voice came out surprisingly even. "…No… Y-You… weren't suppose to...!"

David took a step forward, and wrapped Roman into a firm, yet comfortable embrace with one hand. "I figured it out just being with you. No one told me."

"…How…?" Roman murmured painfully as he practically collapsed in the archer's hug. All the pain, numbness, and despair he'd holed up since this chaos began spilled forth as a lone tear that wet the archer's shoulder. "I didn't want you… a-anyone to know…! ...How...!?"

"It was that look in your eye when you watched everyone from the Control Room. I always thought it looked very familiar," David answered as the uncertainty seemed to settle for the other servants. Roman didn't care. Still, as another tear fell, he managed to keep himself from breaking down completely and succumbing to weakness. His resolve was absolute, even if his emotions tried to drag him down; He was convinced he was the only one who could end everyone's torment.

Though the thought his father knew ravaged him, Roman could not ignore the relief that also welled within. A regret had been erased, regardless if he wanted it or not. David knew, and yet he shouldn't have. Roman's actions to come would mean the archer would be… It was painful to think about, yet he couldn't stop this. He had to act, and his acknowledged identity only spurred him forward with less weight on his shoulders. David was going to take this even worse, but he could do nothing more to prevent it.

...Nevertheless, David merely smiled, seemingly in ignorance. "You did have that unusual focus about you... a purposeful calling. Then all those times I caught you secretly staring at me made me curious... but they were only hunches until you came here."

Numb and distraught, Roman struggled just to form his sentences and hold back the waterfall; Only a few had thankfully slipped out. "...T-This is...! I didn't... I wanted to say it when...!"

"When the time was right... I wonder if you ever would, even when you tried so hard to be an incredible friend to me," David admonished as he pulled away lightly. His cane dematerialized so he could hold the sniffling Roman upright by the shoulders. "Da Vinci's right, Roman. I've come to realize you're quite the unbelievable idiot… Pretty selfish, unbelievably vulgar, a good-for-nothing womanizer… Like father like son, huh?"

He sniffled again, but he managed to give a tiny smile to David. "…I learned from the worst."

Chuckles ran through the crowd. The archer, still holding that proud fatherly smile, merely nodded. "If anyone has the means to take down Goetia… It's going to be you, Solomon. That thing was made by your hands, so it's only right to believe you can do it."

"I can." He said it firmly, more for himself than anyone else. The fire within had never felt so warm. It shielded him from the cold hands of his emotions and second thoughts, which seemed further than ever before. It wasn't much of a pep talk, but David did far more than he realized for him with just a few words and a painful revelation. He nodded firmly, yet exaggerated, as the determination returned completely in his slightly teary eyes. "...I don't look like it, but I have the means to defeat Goetia."

David nodded. "I won't stop you then... I'll just yell at you for keeping all this secret once we get back to Chaldea, alright? So… Do what you must, and make me proud, son."

Roman could tell by the uncertain tinge in his voice, he didn't know what would come of this. Still, David, his father, believed in him. After everything they've been through, and all the moments they spent together talking in the Medical Bay, playing tag with the kids, or some other activity… David trusted him like few others. Though his heart wished to find another way, his father's words formed the torch he needed. The flame was rekindled, and he felt the fierce resolve bloomed to an absolute inferno that nothing could smother.

David knew who he was, and believed he should do what he must. He encouraged it, and Roman would not disappoint. Even if his mind wished and hoped to fulfill new regrets that formed with recent 'closure,' this tragedy needed to come to an end. For everyone's sake, and humanity's, he fell completely deaf to the hesitations in his way, even if they rocked his heart. With a sniffle, he gave a tearful, yet determined, smile. "…T-Thanks, dad."

"I don't want to be the asshole to ruin this touching moment, but…" Nobunaga began as many eyes turned her way. With an annoyed expression, she motioned towards the giant, crimson barrier. "There's still this  _big_  problem that doesn't want to go away. You got some magic for that, Real-McCoy So _Ro_ man?"

As Roman hurriedly tried to compose his rampant emotions, but was still failing, Gilgamesh chuckled in amusement and stole the attention. He stared towards the central isle as the light show seemed to grow more intense. "I, the King, know it won't be long now. Merlin can actually do something  _useful_  when he's serious."

* * *

 **-•===ЯΞΞΞ[** **IX**   **]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

Merlin, bloodied yet defiant, threw the last of his energy into a last-ditch attempt. Gudao's two command seals were a very nice surprise, but the master likely thought he was their only hope of victory; Truth be told, he might be? Technically he would be? He didn't know how to phrase it.

All he knew, as he threw his most powerful, area denial spells to buy just seconds more time. His real self had made the breakthrough, and it was only a matter of time now! He just needed to be sure Gudao and Mashu wouldn't be killed by Goetia soon after his demise! They were so close, and Chaldea put everything else in the right places for him! He was probably going to get an earful from Arturia for all this, but this was the only way! Of all the paths on this road, only this one would lead to victory!

Seconds passed, and that damn shower of potent prana rain flew from Goetia's form. Blood flew from Merlin's mouth as one managed to connect; He hadn't been fast enough. His incantation ruined, he was helpless in midair as Goetia charged him like a bullet. The punch connected with his torso, and he felt his spine snap just by the shockwave that preceded its fist. Merlin roared in pain, and came crashing down at the foot of the throne's ascent.

" **MERLIN!"**  Gudao roared, but the caster managed to say the urgent warning that raced to his mind before the sheer agony scrambled his thoughts.

He fired telepathically. _"Save those command seals!"_

Goetia came down hard on his left arm a split second alter, sending shockwaves of further pain through his mind. He raised his other hand quickly, and tried to bring his sta- With one swipe, Goetia easily tore the caster's arm clear off. Merlin roared in absolute pain and misery… more than he ever thought he could ever experience as he felt his already dwindling energy being drained by Goetia's close proximity. As blood poured from his wounds, and his spirit core fractured and broke down rapidly, Goetia's central eyes gazed down at him.

"All that, and you still managed nothing. Good," Goetia spat as it stepped off of Merlin and swiftly grabbed him by the neck.

Merlin, with his remaining limbs limply at his sides, still dared to pout at him. "But… you didn't… let… me!"

He gasped for breath as Goetia quickly applied enough force to stop his breathing. This was it. The body was already beginning to fade into golden dust, and Goetia's contact ensured he couldn't use any last spells to buy one more second of time; It'd just break and absorb it immediately. The beast really wasn't playing around, but neither was he. He'd have to give Goetia credit; No one had ever made him work impossibly hard before.

It was a good thing he never did find Avalon's location. As Merlin's body disintegrated, he felt Goetia's grip loosen. With his fading vision, he cherished the beast's clear shock as it stared around the singularity with the limp, fading body still in its grasp. He would have laughed, if he could have with his dying breaths and brutalized body. Instead, he'd just have to settle with some last words he always loved to sneak in whenever he could.

His body dissolved completely into the air. "…Just… kidding…"

* * *

 **-•===ЯΞΞΞ[** **X**   **]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

Hearing Doctor Roman was the real Solomon was already enough for Anton try to wrap his head around. Though Goetia masqueraded as the enemy until the final confrontation, apparently Solomon was secretly helping them the entire time? A thousand question rose yet again, and he wanted to understand. Anton always wanted to understand. That's when yet another new event threw itself onto his monitor and beeped all over the Control Room.

"Da Vinci… Is something wrong with the scanners!?" Anton asked incredulously as he stared in disbelief at his monitor. He, and his fiancé too, had to make quick checks between the screen and the other singularity views. Tesla was just as stumped, but Shakespeare merely wrote furiously at everything that had been going on.

Da Vinci, finally broken from her stoic and serious expression, stared at the screens in surprise. "No… The scanners should be fine. This… This is happening…"

"Aren't those…!? For even a genius like me not to understand!?" Tesla cried out as he typed and attempted to verify the data on his own monitor. "How is this feasibly happening?"

"Summoning circles… yet there's no summoner…!" Da Vinci breathed in disbelief. "We didn't do anything. We couldn't do anything like this!"

Everything was evolving way too fast for him to comprehend at this point. Emotionally and mentally exhausted, and physically taxed to boot, Anton merely slunk into his chair with a stupid smile on his face. Frankenstein looked at him in concern as he simply chuckled, but she found the act contagious herself. She giggled, and Tesla let out a small smirk as his own checks proved fruitless: There were no issues. Yes… Anton loved to understand things, and put little stock in the make believe, but there was only one way to describe this phenomenon.

"It's a miracle."

* * *

 **-•===ЯΞΞΞ[** **XI**   **]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

Beyond the sickly purple barrier, like new celestial bodies among the endless sea of stars, they appeared. First one, then another. Dozens more from all different angles. Within seconds, there were more than a hundred circles forming by themselves. They chimed like church bells on a warm spring morning as they glowed, and hummed with energy. Like angels in the darkest night, they shined and shimmered with immense magical energy as they grew seemingly countless.

"Impossible! How did those get past the barrier!?" Goetia roared in front of Gudao and Mashu. Though they remained tense, their eyes couldn't help but gaze around at the scene. Goetia, too, glanced around incredulously. "This should not have been a possibility!  **This should have been completely prevented!"**

"Merlin… did this…?" Mashu breathed in disbelief, but Gudao was speechless behind her. She had to glance back to ensure he was okay, but he was clearly only as awestruck as her.

They were fireworks, or maybe supernovas. There were a thousand ways to describe it, but Mashu summarized them as the most beautiful sight they could have wished for. The summoning circles flared with thunderous power, then turned into glittering dust as they rose into the skies. Even with the barrier distorting the view, the cosmic show reminded her of the aurora borealis she loved to watch. The tendrils of beautiful dust waved and glowed among the many bright flares across the singularity's skies.

Within moments, they began to descend. They grew tails of the purest white as they fell slowly towards the ground. The greatest ballet she ever witnessed played before her, and the soft hum of their music echoed through the barrier. She wished upon those shooting stars, but knew that they were heard. Her quiet wish… no, their cries for an answer had been answered.

That's when they appeared among the shooting stars. Countless figures for just as many comets. Some were recognizable even from the distance, but there was no mistaking who they were. Servants had appeared to lend their aid, like so many singularities before… but never so many at once. It was an orchestra for her heart, and she felt the sweet swell of relief that inflated her storm-wrecked raft.

Everything was finally going to be okay!

* * *

 **-•===ЯΞΞΞ[** **XII**   **]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

Roman, mesmerized by the sight of so many newly summoned servants, stared in wonder as a pure voice boomed out over the singularity.  **"Heroes of Chaldea! Your battle has been a long journey throughout human history, but it will not end in despair this day!"**

"Jeanne…?" Nitocris blinked in surprise, then turned, like many, to the Holy Maiden standing among them with her billowing standard clutched in hand.

She glanced back in surprise as a confused Gilles looked around beside her. "…But I didn't say anything!"

" **Chaldeans… Together, even if this entire planet becomes the battlefield that is the Holy Grail War. Even if this earth has lost everything and fallen into ruin. Even if at the end of your path, numerous strong enemies stand in your way... you did not give up! You would continue defiantly to that horizon where no one has yet to determine the ending."**

Jeanne definitely wasn't the one talking from what Roman could see, yet that was clearly her voice. He turned back to the barrier, as inspiration and relief welled within. There was no other way about it. The answer was simple, and it came from those beautiful streaks that held the keys to the door.

" **That has not changed, even now! Let the counter attack begin, Masters! After all, isn't this a story where you will reclaim the future, together with all of us?"** It came from a single, lone comet that fell towards the ground on the lone, ungarrisoned island.

" **Listen, o' peerless, mighty Heroic Spirits who have gathered here! Even if you were sworn enemies, even if your times never crossed paths, now is when you entrust your backs to one another as Chaldea has shown possible!"**  the descending figure bellowed as it slammed into the ground. In the comet's dispersing form, as more servants came down around the besieged circle, another Jeanne d'Arc stood proudly with flag in hand.  **"We are here to prevent the incineration of the human order, and open the path for Chaldea! Let the voice of humanity sing on through our actions!"**

Their battle cry was immense, but was met with the spine-shivering roar of countless more. With flag in hand, the Allied Jeanne dashed towards one of the closest islands to lend her aid as the Chaldeans cheered. Roman couldn't wipe the growing smile off his face; He did try to wipe the lingering tears.

All across the islands, new battles erupted simultaneously before some comets even hit the ground. The signature glow of Atalanta's or Tota's arrows... The cries of forming storms in the distance… An armada of ships that sailed through the skies! There were so many familiar sights…! Countless servants had arrived and engaged the forces of the seventy-two pillars! There was nowhere Roman could look that wasn't besieged by their new hope except the central isle.

"What happened!?" "Who cares!?  **GO GET THEM!"**  "How!? Where did they come from!?" "Merlin could do this!?"  **"Kick their asses!"**  "The barrier could come down now!"

The Chaldean servants roared around him, rivaling the blissful sounds of the newly arrived allies engaging the enemy. David laughed happily beside Roman, and the doctor finally found himself with a relieving grin. They weren't helpless anymore. Their last obstacle was going to be dismantled! They would be alright! He would finally have his way forward…!

At that thought, Roman's thought sobered slightly among the many cheering Chaldeans. He'd still have to do it. Despite their numbers, there was obviously no other way Goetia could be harmed, but they got what they needed. There was no way the bear trap wouldn't open with this much effort being applied! If it was anything like before, when enough of these pillars were endangered, that barrier would fall!

With his moment to come, Roman silenced the last of his doubts and cheered with the other waiting Chaldeans.


	6. Chapter 5: Paving the Way Forward

" _No plan survives first contact with the enemy."_

Those words from the King of Conquerors rang loudly in the beast's mind as it continued telepathic damage control. Over seventy voices in its head chorused over each other, but they were one. They heard them all, and calculated with swift efficiency to summarize the situation. Despite all their planning, that which they sought to prevent still happened. Over a hundred servants had bypassed the outer defensive field and were putting both barriers at risk of destabilization.

All of their positions, even the newest one that rose to complete the circle, were being assaulted. The pillars struggled to defend and regenerate while also managing the strength of the shields. Goetia wanted nothing more than to order the collapse of the lonely isle where the main Chaldean forces were still trapped, but the enemy's pressure allowed no room for the cooperative effort by their collective. It was a brawl just to keep their positions from falling.

" _Control Tower under heavy assault! Diverting energy to defense!"_

" _Intelligence Room holding the enemy off! Opposing forces are increasing in number!"_

" _Enemy servant attacks increasing with frequency! Spy Satellite diverting more energy for self-preservation!"_

Though the pressure mounted, Goetia had forcefully recomposed itself. Acting through emotion gleamed from humanity would only lead to further mistakes. The situation was salvageable. Both shields still held, and this new opposition had only finite energy. None of the pillars from the Spy Satellite isle had detected anyone they perceived as Solomon; They were still clear. If their forces weathered the storm accordingly, the humanity's efforts would still be meaningless.

" _The eight pillars summoning to Chaldea will form on the abandoned island after they send the last waves,"_  Goetia's voice commanded to the collective.  _"Chaldea still stands, but the Summoning System has been damaged. Restrictions are lifted. Kill every servant within your reach. The barriers must not fall."_

One of the reserve pillars chimed in.  _"What of Flauros? Shall we hasten its resurrection?"_

" _The energy used for its reconstruction will be better spent on defense. Flauros has failed us enough. Let it recover on its own."_

Now was not the time for anger or scrutiny. If fault lies with Flauros, then it also lies with the collective for not understanding any possible flaws. There would be a thorough investigation on the clearly perceived, yet baffling, influence of the human host on the possessing pillar, but that would come after victory. Any slips could no longer be tolerated, nor could their necessary ground be ceded to the humanity.

Ars Paulina was necessary to keep intact, but if the barriers fell, Goetia would merely be forced to deal with the collateral damage afterwards.

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ Ω ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

**_Chapter 5: Paving the Way Forward_ **

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ Ω ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

"The winds of fate hath left gifts…" Shuten managed to mouth through her surprise. Sasaki could only nod in agreement.

It had been a miracle, and a testament to Shuten's finesse that she had managed to free Raikou, then him soon after. Unfortunately, the others were far harder to reach since they were held within the center of the powerful formation. Even though they were mighty as a trio, they were running low on magical energy, and these pillars didn't need to conserve anything. They were at a frustrating stalemate… until their unexpected allies showed up in force.

He glanced around in astonishment. The trio's carefully choreographed ballet to avoid capture, and possibly force an opening, had finally ended. The demon pillars' attention had shifted to their new allies, nearly a dozen in number, who assailed them without hesitation. It was a relieving sight to see, yet his profound concern for their downed friends remained; They were in harm's way, and the allies didn't seem to be too concerned about it.

Raikou understood that without a doubt. They couldn't stop her from joining the fight again to rescue the others. In truth, he wanted to join too, as did Shuten by the way her fists shook… yet they couldn't do this blindly or risk getting hit by 'friendly' attacks. It certainly didn't help the newly arrived servants didn't appear to be working together either. They looked like a bunch of allies-by-convenience who did their own thing.

Shuten growled impatiently as she stared towards Kintoki, who remained captive at the very center. Sasaki's own aggravation joined hers as she spoke, "Hands have been lent! We should act!"

"If they manage to suppress the pillars, that could be our opening," Sasaki pointed out quickly just as a discharge of electricity fried nearly half of the current lesser demon horde. "I'd prefer if we could coordinate with someone."

The sound of a genius inventor's familiar laughter boomed over the storm of currents as the lightning thrashed at its opponents. On the far side, the sound of released steam heralded a thunderous strike from the allied Babbage. Sasaki's eyes easily identified up dozens of carefully weaved spells, in all manner of elements, form as an allied Tamamo moved closer towards Raikou's practically blind and ruthless charge.

The central white pillar, Barbatos, roared with indignation at the attacks. "In the name of the Seventy-Two Demon Gods, this integration of ours will not-!"

" _ **CLARENT BLOOD ARTHUR!"**_  It was silenced. With a chorus of red-hued, crackling lightning, the newly arrived Mordred's noble phantasm tore straight through the pillar and tore off a chunk of an adjacent one. They shrieked and flailed as the familiar cackling of a Knight of Treachery pierced the air. " **Too bad** , demon gods! If it's the job of you nine to organize stuff… Then my role is to tear it to pieces! For the glory of the Round Tabl-  _Errrr_ , something like that… Anyway! I'll crush you with my hands!"

Allied Mordred stopped for a second to stare at the exhausted duo, then scratched her head in confusion. "Hey! You're Chaldean servants, right? Have these guys really been giving you a hard time? That's pathetic, you know? Sheesh… Even the honor student could run these wimps through!"

"It was an ambush… Oh, why trouble myself… I'm trying to explain to Mordred." Sasaki sighed into his hand as the angered saber glared at him. An allied Jekyll and Frankenstein quickly ran up to join her, and potentially stop her from attacking them, but Sasaki merely pointed into the cluster of pillars. "I'm not one to ask rough flowers for favors, but you mind helping our friends from their binds? Surely you've noticed."

"Huh? Some of you actually got captured by these…" The allied Mordred trailed off as a demon pillar shrieked with its death cry, but that wasn't the reason. She stared, blinked, and flushed red with embarrassment as she spotted the unconscious Chaldean Mordred chained near the base of a pillar.  **"H-HEY! IDIOT! WHAT'RE YOU DOING THERE AFTER ALL I JUST SAID!? YOU'RE MAKING US LOOK BAD!"**

* * *

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ III ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

Cursed Arm ran, even as he ignored the strange yelling match happening behind him.  **"How'd ya like that, ya' shitty squid bastard!"**

" **I'm not a squid. I'm a stingray. You are an especially unapproved presence,"**  the dominating voice of Forneaus roared into the air as it fired a malevolent beam of energy towards the newly appeared, allied pirate ship. Cursed Arm heard the loud groans of wood as it managed to evade the strike, but concentrated completely on his task. He clutched the rescued Chaldean in his hands and bolted forward towards the island's lone ruins.

It had been a total struggle just staying safe. He was an assassin against a horde of nightmares, and they nearly killed him several times. Yet, he persevered, for he had to ensure his fellow Chaldeans did not give up hope; If the sight of him fighting alone could do it, then he dared put himself at risk. It had paid off spectacularly with the arrival of so many allied servants.

Now, the injured Cursed Arm, dutiful to his core, placed the unconscious form of Hundred Face down within the only safe sanctuary. "I thank you for your help."

"Of course!" the Allied Asterios nodded happily. He smiled towards his Chaldean counterpart, who had seen much better days. Even though he wheezed and bled from several wounds, their Asterios had helped get some of the servants out of harm's way. The injured berserker looked with endless concern at the twin goddesses they managed to rescue; They weren't disappearing, so Cursed Arm believed they were stable… for now at least. Three had been saved, but their hard job was not done.

"You can prostrate yourself to me after we get the others out," the allied Euryale noted as she glanced back to the pillars. "Look forward to it. Now, Asterios! Let's get the others, and remember! Don't even so much as ruffle my dress!"

"Yes, Euryale!" the allied berserker yelled happily as he turned around to find a path forward. It had been a miracle Cursed Arm had found someone who was willing to help with his rescue mission. He wished he could get more, but some of these others servants only seemed interested in attacking. Between maddened Vikings and a host of pirates, Cursed Arm wasn't too sure if it was possible to make any extra allies right off the bat.

Many were still captured, but they would be able to get some more on the next run… especially with the ungodly bombardment that was coming down on the demon pillars. Maybe he could convince that allied Nero and Caesar to help rescue the prisoners? It sounded more plausible than the other Heracles or Bloodaxe. If Cursed Arm was truly worried about anything, though, it was one of those shots missing and hitting a Chaldean.

However, that didn't seem likely. The precision fire from the allied Drake's massive armada slammed into the demon horde and pillars like rounds fired from trained marksman. Holes were torn straight through demon pillars, who were forced to throw their energy into quick regeneration. Some attempted to fire back, but the allied Blackbeard had maneuvered his ship accordingly to catch the enemies in a cross fire.

"Ahoy down there!" Cursed Arm looked up to the Golden Hind. The allied Drake's flagship descended a bit closer to their positions, and he could see the countless men scrambling on the deck as they readied cannons. "It's already a full house here with just us! Get the last of your crew outta there so we can show 'em a real boarding party!"

"Captain! What about Blackbeard and his crew!?" one of the pirates on board yelled. "You're sure he won't backstab us!?"

"He's doing what he agreed to, and that's enough for now!" Allied Drake answered back easily as the main guns of the Golden Hind roared forward. The golden beams slammed through a demon pillar, burning two clean holes through it as it tried to quickly heal the damage. It was pierced by four more shots from other ships, further crippling the process. "Hey! Get a move on! It's not like us pirates to hold back for someone else, you know!? Get in there and save your friends!"

…And his previous beliefs and worries were destroyed with that quick conversation. He wasn't sure if it was the same case with the other islands, but these new allies seemed to understand the situation better than he hoped. They were being cautious of taking out any friendly servants, or at least this Drake was. The other Jeanne's speech hadn't been just a loose rallying cry: They were truly trying to help Chaldea in a considerate manner.

Even if some doubts remained, he wasn't going to let a window of opportunity close now.

* * *

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ IV ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

A demon pillar shrieked in agony as an arrow, wreathed in ethereal blue lightning, pierced straight through. Its eyes were peppered with precision fire from bullets and crossbow bolts from different angles. Lesser demons swarmed towards the distant threats, but they barely made it past some of the other allied servants that fought amongst them. An explosion of severed limbs and bloodied remains soared into the air and disappeared in sickly mist as an Allied Karna slammed into the ground like a meteor.

There was a flash of light on the far side of the island, and a massive coyote appeared from nowhere. It glowed with a bright, golden light before it ran towards the formation of pillars. High above, an artificial sun flared to life and burned everything in the spiritual guardian's wake. Those that remained were quickly decimated by a pursing allied Beowulf, who swung his blades wildly with an excited grin. He dashed towards the thick of the fighting to join the other in the glorious battle…

…And all Cu could do was stand guard over his two rescued friends and watch carefully; That was actually acceptable after all the Olympic running he had to do earlier.

"…My lord…! Please… _ **ghh-!**_  …You first!"

Fionn, with one hand on the vicious laceration on his side, winced as he fumbled with the jug of water grasped in the other. The dark-haired knight grunted on the ground as he held his own chest wound, delivered with cruel courtesy by the demonic pillars. "Hold still, Diarmuid… I'm not spilling it this time!"

Cu stared at the distraction far longer than he ever would during most battles, yet he his combat senses were far more at ease presently. Without a doubt, he could have fought for days on end with ease, but making any progress against the coordinated pillars was questionable; He still tried. Even with a gaping hole through his thigh and upper arm, which barely healed, his strength and agility were unhindered. In order to get his fallen friends out of harm's way, of course the great Hound of Ulster was going to give everything he had.

Yet, he hadn't been forced to go further than that thanks to the surprise cavalry; The task had been taken from his hands by more capable hands. Though he wasn't surprised by the cooperation of certain heroes, others did take him a bit off guard. " _ **Cuuuuu~!**_ Even with those wounds, you're still  _ **so**_   **dreamy~!** "

The lancer looked up as the allied Medb passed overhead in her chariot. She winked towards him, blew a kiss, and giggled. The lancer sighed, but smirked, as her mount slammed into the top of a distant demon pillar. It slowly collapsed to the ground like a falling tree thanks to his alter counterpart, who tore vicious gashes into its base like a chainsaw.

Behind the mighty berserker, a quartet of allied lancers danced around demon hordes while striking at two pillars simultaneously. Though two of the four clearly did it to enjoy a good fight, they all acted as a distraction for an allied Rama and Nightingale to free the incapacitated Chaldean Medb and Fergus. Like blurry streaks of light, the two quickly retreated out of the danger area as a swarm of arrows, bullets, and crossbow bolts pounded the demon pillars in their way.

It was like a well-choreographed dance, except Cu knew it merely happened to work out that way. The newly arrived Rama and Nightingale were the only ones who actually tried to create any sort of coordination among all of them. The others allied servants were doing their own thing, especially Karna and Arjuna, who were engaged in some sort of contest for how many demon pillars they could suppress. Cu didn't care what level of teamwork was at play, only that things were finally swinging in a good direction again.

With two Fionns and a Nightingale, coupled with the Celtic determination, Cu figured the Chaldean garrison be capable of fighting again sooner rather than later.

Allied Rama landed on the ground and gently placed Medb down. Cu was glad to see she was conscious, as was Fergus; There was something to be said about Celtic will. The legendary saber forcefully grasped the Angel of Crimea's shoulder as her eyes focused heavily on Fergus' multiple chest wounds. She turned to him, and the allied saber shook his head. "I know you wish to treat them, but more are in danger! We must save them!"

"Fionn can manage something while you're doing that," Cu reassured for extra effect. The allied berserker turned between the wounded and the others still captured within a quickly escalating battle. An explosion of bright blue lightning slammed into a demon pillar, causing it to shriek as it toppled dangerously above an unconscious Chaldean Tota. That was enough for her, it seemed. Like a bullet, Cu watched her bolt towards the remaining injured, followed closely by her companion.

"Ahhh… shame…" Fergus grunted, but still frowned with disappointment towards Cu. "I was so… close to being caressed by the nurse…"

"Don't get any ideas with me," Fionn quickly groaned back through his own pain, and it brought chuckles to the downed saber and Diarmuid. Medb merely rolled her eyes, but still smiled.

Cu even found himself chuckling for the first time after the stressful and aggravating minutes before which felt like an eternity.

* * *

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ V ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

Marvelous!  **Fantastic!**   _ **Superb!**_

So much writing inspiration! This book was writing itself! It had everything Shakespeare could have imagined and hoped for! Romance! Tragedy! Action! Thrills! Drama! Some comedy too! This was going to be one for the ages, he could feel it! He had never been more thankful he was summoned than to witness this finale, and he didn't even have to do any personal contriving to make it more interesting!

But the greatest treat was delivered from the most unexpected angle! To think… Doctor Roman Archaman, Acting Director of Chaldea, was secretly King Solomon, the one they thought was the true enemy all along! Instead, he was one of their allies! The twist was wonderful, but he needed more information to make it work wonderfully! He'd have to ask Da Vinci about so much after this, but for now, he had to observe and keep writing! All of this must be recorded diligently so none can ever forget!

His hand frantically scribbled as his eyes glanced between monitors eagerly. There were so many sights, but which ones should he focus on now!? Everyone had a story to tell, and his only qualm was that he wasn't getting enough personal time to be a protagonist himself! Ah, but he was used to playing the narrator! Someone had to ensure the tale was told as beautifully as possible as a memorial to those lost, and as an inspiration for fighting against the impossible!

Why, this was human defiance at its most beautiful!

A flash filled the room, and Tesla growled in annoyance before him. Putting down his pen for a moment, Shakespeare cast one of his few powerful spells; He really hated being interrupted from writing! As the demons appeared, so too did a dozen illusionary employees. As Tesla fried one enemy easily with a mere flick of his wrist, and Da Vinci punched another viciously with her gauntlet, two of the demons swiped for the nearest illusion. Their talons went right through it, dissipating it like ripples to a water reflection.

With the illusion dispersed, they turned around in time to see Frankenstein slam her Bridal Chest onto one of them. As its cranium gave way, she thrust forward and staggered the other demon into an isle between consoles. Tesla's carefully controlled strikes quickly nailed it without damaging the equipment. The entire time, Anton just sat at his computer and operated the security doors for the newly arrived servants. He'd grown pretty used to being threatened all the time, and his trust in the servants definitely showed.

While the employee helped the servants with opening, or closing, security doors and rebooting systems, Da Vinci killed one of the last, shrieking demons with a blast of energy from her staff. She turned her attention to a second one that moved for Anton, just as the one she struck wailed. It fell backwards, and its claws scraped against the keys and levers by a damaged, but unmanned, console.

Tesla grimaced as the last demon from the warped-in group smashed another unused console on its way to the ground. Da Vinci shook her head, and quickly returned back to the primary console. As she cycled through several scenes to check on Chaldea's interior status, Shakespeare simply went back to writing with a proud grin and a gentle hum.

"Da Vinci? Hello?" Anishka called out over the intercom, surprising everyone. "Did you need something?"

She blinked in confusion, then gazed back to Tesla, who merely shrugged. "No, we didn't contact you."

More voices came over the line, and sounded like a crowd to Shakespeare. From the panic of some and the requests specifically mentioning for Anton, these voices definitely originated from within Chaldea. It was annoying to write to, since it jarred his concentration, but Da Vinci was more irritated. "We just came under attack, so I think there's a console transmitting all internal comms to the singularity."

"Shall I shift my procedure to locating that inconvenience?" the lone robot inquired.

Da Vinci nodded. "Fix it ASAP. We may be winning, but I don't want uncontrolled communications in a tense moment."

Shakespeare slowly nodded. Even after all she'd just been through, sending her supposed secret lover into the singularity, she was holding firm. She was troubled, but the sight of the reinforcements had bolstered spirits greater than, he hated to admit, all his plays combined. Human emotion was so fascinating to see and write in all its aspects! It added so much color to the world!

Yet, even as he tried to find something interesting from the many scenes, Shakespeare knew it was all of them together that made this sight remarkable. Even if their origins and stories were different, they all slowly formed a semblance of unity. It wasn't the unique, yet perfect, teamwork Chaldea had managed to craft, but it was human cooperation at its finest. Though rough around the edges, and carrying grudges of their own, they were all sidelined for the bigger picture.

The scenes he witnessed before him was more than just an inspirational tale of teamwork, but a true testament to mankind's undying nature.

* * *

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ VI ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

The crimson barrier that surrounded the singularity flickered lightly. Its vibrancy faded ever so slightly in the past minute alone, and that was enough reassurance for Medea. Already, she could hear the distorted and intermittent garble of the Beachhead's telepathic communication; The barrier was weakening. The new reinforcements were throwing serious pressure onto the pillars, and she was glad to have a bit of respite as she hovered within rocky ruins.

With her cape frayed and torn behind her, and a small trickle of dried blood on her lips, she kept her distance from the battlefield. She was down to her last golden apple, yet she saved it even in her current state. Ever the opportunist and careful observer, she looked for an opening while she conserved her strength. Most of the Chaldeans had been freed by the allied forces, but Phantom of the Opera and Martha were still trapped among the pillars; Their counterparts, accompanied by an allied Altera and Darius III, fought hard to keep the nearest pillars distracted.

Medea glanced to the wounded servants around her. She was glad the allied Jeanne and Gilles had helped ferry the injured over. Without a doubt, freeing the incapacitated Chaldean servants at all the islands was likely the top priority, if only so that the new allies could unleash their more powerful attacks without restraint. If she were to guess, some did it anyway regardless of who was in the danger zone. It went without saying, but these servants hadn't exactly grown the powerful bonds many in Chaldea had come to appreciate… like herself.

As an injured Sanson frantically tried to keep Marie and Mozart's conditions stable, Medea turned to the most capable of the wounded. Vlad glanced back to the floating caster quickly, but kept his grip on his staff tight and his eyes focused. She turned back to the battlefield, "You should save your strength. I can manage our defense alone."

He chuckled, and barely winced even from the terrible lacerations from the formerly restricting chains. "I'm not taking any more chances sitting idle. One ambush was more than enough."

"As long as they don't have more in store…" Robin Hood grunted on the ground. Though the bleeding archer was reclined against a rock, he dared to keep his bow drawn and ready. He glanced towards the crimson boundary as it flickered again. "Looks like it's not long now."

"It shouldn't be." Medea's gaze stared carefully to the battle nearly two hundred meters away. The ruins they hid amongst were within reach of a distant attack, but the demon pillars were too distracted with the fresh opponents. She watched the Allied Martha slam one of her fists hard into the side of a pillar, causing it to stagger as the Allied Jeanne dashed towards the pinned Phantom; The Allied Gilles made a run for their unconscious Chaldean saint.

Telepathic voices in Medea's head grew steadily with clarity. Her wrist-mounted comms device then crackled with static, making Vlad glance over. "Good to have communications again."

"… _nyone-… Can-… hear us? …ello?"_ She was going to answer Anishka's garbled inquiry, but she already heard Vlad's voice responding for them… along with several others from around the singularity. The situation was stabilizing rapidly, as were the Chaldean technological communications that endlessly transmitted over her device. It was quickly irritating her, but there was a pit of nervousness over the possibility Chaldea had been attacked directly.

The sporadic and overlapping messages only further confirmed this. Her eyes narrowed in annoyance, yet it hid her growing anxiety. As her eyes remained focused on the Allied Jeanne's final rescue mission, her fears were met as Paracelsus shouted over communications. "Anton! Open the doors! I need to move Naomi to a secure location! She's in critical-! Hurry! It's too dangerous here!"

Vlad turned to Medea in shock, but the caster was already frozen. It was incredible she still managed to hover as a surge of emotions flooded through her. Total disbelief carved the path to her heart, and allowed denial and despair to creep within. Her anxiety exploded, and concern shook her from head to toe. Fear was not something she liked to fear often, yet it came by the bushel with every second as her expression collapsed into anguish…

But she was strong, and wouldn't collapse into despair. She'd been through so much pain in her life after been ruthlessly and consistently tarnished by fate's hands. It had hardened her, and it had taken so much just to chip those walls down so some could climb over it. Yet it hurt so unbearably that one of those who had managed to embed themselves so thoroughly into her heart was… on death's door… and she could currently do  _nothing_  to change her fate.

Nonetheless, Medea was strong. She wouldn't collapse like a naïve princess, but she acted on impulse. Barely a few seconds passed, and though her heart cried out desperately for her beloved friend, it also filled with familiar rage. She couldn't do anything to help directly, but she could certainly do something right now. With shaking fists and fiercely lit eyes, she reached into her satchel and pulled out the last golden apple. She bit into it hard, again and again, as she glared at the besieged demon pillars.

Vlad, clearly sympathizing with her pain and plight, growled angrily. "Medea. I'll protect the others."

"…Thank you." It had taken every ounce of her will just to murmur those words evenly; Her wrath overflowed. They did this, and they'd pay dearly. As Martha and Phantom were quickly carried out of the danger area by the Allied Servants, Medea floated high into the sky, and formed the first dozen of countless magical circles. They hummed brightly with energy as their numbers grew to blot out the sky, but their combined threat paled to the fury that flared from Medea's eyes.

Growling with the might of a dragon, she would allow her spells to scream for her.

* * *

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ VII ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

Emiya kept his bow poised and ready to fire, as did the guarding Heracles. He merely knelt and watched from the cover of the ruins and reserved his dwindling energy. Heracles, furious beyond description, looked like he could destroy entire fortresses and not be sated... yet they watched carefully, since their aid clearly wasn't needed.

A swarm of molded, golden earth rocketed from the ground and tore into the war-torn skies. They weaved past many of the allied Quetzalcoatl's flying mounts before they slammed into several pillars at once. Eyes cracked and bodies were torn, all while the pillars shrieked and flailed. Allied Ishtar also screamed as she quickly flew out of the deadly hailstorm to safety. She glared at the ground towards the green-haired lancer, whose eyes remained focused on suppressing the massive pillars.

"Enkidu! What do you think you're doing!?" the infuriated goddess shrieked, even as she charged a new shot of focused prana through her boat.

"Pity... It was an accident, but I was hoping that was going to get you too," the allied Enkidu merely spat back with narrowed eyes. "Why can't you just cooperate for once?"

"I've been doing that! We're supposed to be on the same side for now!" she roared back as she let her shot roar louder. It careened into the base of another pillar and exploded in a spectacular, golden supernova. The pillar flailed and writhed as it collapsed onto its companion, who was harried by a swarm of flying phantasmal beasts and otherworldly Garula spirits. Two of the spirits couldn't move away in time, and were crushed between the pillars as one fell.

" _ **ISHTAR!**_  You stupid…! Be  **careful!**  You killed my precious spirits!" an allied Ereshkigal roared incredulously.

" **That wasn't on purpose!"**  she shot bac- She quickly dodged a stray shot of golden, prana-infused earth as it rocketed by her.  _ **"THAT**_ **was on purpose!"**

Emiya's curious spectating was interrupted by a clear, telepathic message. Anishka's voice called out hopefully, yet firmly.  _"Any capable servants in the field!_   _After you've rescued our comrades, please suppress the pillars! The barrier is faltering!"_

The archer would've chuckled at how that task was already easily completed, if he wasn't so stressed over his nearby family. His eyes gazed once more across the field, where dozens of servants worked loosely together to suppress the pillars. By this point, Leonidas' three hundred Spartans and the other Japanese servants seemed to be just insurance before the might of four goddesses and an allied Enkidu. This island was under such absolute control, the allied Quetzalcoatl was actually trying to see if she could suplex two demonic pillars at once.

His gaze turned to the surprise eighth island that rose to activate the trap.

Even from the distance, there was nothing he could see that would concern him. There were just as many pillars, yet whatever servants had landed there had it more than handled. He barely made out the signature blinks of Dantes, and even an unusual, casually dressed blue sword bearer that looked oddly familiar. Demon pillars were getting chopped down with ease as if King Hassan wielded his blade, but the mighty assassin definitely wasn't over there; Whatever the case, that island was also under serious control.

" _Far east wing… Our area and the new island are completely suppressed, Annie. We're keeping my family safe while our allies handle the mess."_

It felt unbelievably relieving for the archer to send that message, because it wasn't an understatement or hopeful response. Thanks to the combined might of the many powerful heroes at their island, these pillars didn't stand a chance now that all the Chaldean captives were freed. They put up so much effort, Emiya didn't even need to give any extra help in his exhausted state. His gaze softened as he turned back to his family hiding among the ruins.

"Don't push yourself, Iri." Kiritsugu managed to say it evenly considering his condition.

"You're one to talk, Kerry…" The wounded caster smiled weakly before she bit lightly into one of Emiya's golden apples; He'd reserved most of them for his family, even if it meant he ran dangerously close to empty.

The injured assassin reclined on the rock, but kept his eyes focused on the unconscious Illyasviel. The mother knelt beside her as she carefully weaved a healing spell on her chest injury. Ruby, silent and distressed, rested in Illya's hand in an attempt to funnel more precious energy into her. Kuro, in a now stabilized condition, reclined on a fallen column as she watched the older caster work. Emiya could barely tear his concerned eyes, or his anger, away from the scene, but he still chose to remain vigilant for anyt-

The archer groaned as the earth began to shake. "That beast still has more surprises!?"

Emiya glanced over towards the Beachhead as movement caught his eye. The adjacent island, which had been empty before, erupted with newly appeared demon pillars. The last had finally shown up, and they were free to channel energy and restore the barriers. The flickering and fading the large barrier above seemed to stabilize, and Emiya growled at the turn of events. However, it seemed the allied servants had other ideas.

From adjacent areas, the archer could see several allied servants redirecting towards the newly formed island. He spotted another Nero leading the charge forward from an island clearly suppressed by an armada of flying ships. An Altera burst ahead of another charge from the other flanking island, where he could see a hurricane of attacks being fired ruthlessly by Medea. He breathed in relief; These allied servants truly were a god send.

His reassurance was momentarily dashed by countless magic circles forming in the air around the central island. The large rune-etched stones from before began to appear. He wondered briefly, as he drew his first broken phantasm, if Goetia was getting desperate. Those pylons would start hammering away at them, so he had to do what he could to stop them. He let loose the first Caladbolg II before the one he aimed at could completely form.

"Leave it to me!" Emiya yelled quickly as Irisviel continued her work. A furious Heracles leapt to a new position, clearly intending to forcefully intercept incoming spells with his own body if it came down to it; He could feel the berserker's frustration rocking the air. Truth be told, Emiya had a lot of pent up rage he wanted to release too. He'd have to settle for stopping the distant threats before they could properly bombard the area.

Part of him wished he could unleash it on Goetia directly.

* * *

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ VIII ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

The ground shook from another explosive blast from a distant, bombarding pylon.

"Gawain! Please don't get up!" Arturia pleaded from her position. She sat atop Dun Stallion, with reins in one hand and Excalibur in the other, as they stood overlooking the beleaguered servants. These ruined walls and earth kept the wounded out of sight, but she chose to remain on an outcrop to keep surveillance on the field. She glanced down at her allies with concern and anxiety overflowing.

Just seeing her knights in such a state was... Certainly, she was furious. There was no doubt she wished for payback to some extent, but it wouldn't control her. She kept her anger in check, but she still wished to loose it on something. More than anything, she felt frustrated she, or anyone at their isle, could do anything to further aid the injured. All she could do was stand guard and watch, all while her weapon shook in her hand.

Arthur placed his armored hand on the injured knight's chest and gently coaxed him back onto the ground. Both of them looked worse for wear, and their damaged armor leaked blood from certain cracks. Regardless of that, Arthur had helped get the last of the knights out from the pillars' clutches while the counterpart knights distracted them. Her adopted brother passed a concerned glance to the unconscious Lancelot beside Gawain.

Brynhildr was the only other servant still combat-capable, let alone conscious, and she kept a firm, yet shaky, guard within the damaged ruins. She'd pass a worried glance towards Arash and Arturia's other unconscious knights, but otherwise helped her keep guard with Ishtar. The floating goddess, and the allied Tota, had shifted their bombardment towards the new floating pylons. Their attacks, combined with other strikes from distant servants, thinned the number of bombarding pylons while swiftly countering any incoming attacks they fired.

Thankfully, the allied knights who fought the demon pillars were still supported by the sunbeams that rained down from the Allied Ozymandias' barge.

"Arty… If you and Ishtar wish to move in, we can keep vigilance over them," Arthur suggested with a shaky breath. By his state alone, she was hesitant. If she left them unprotected, what if they got ambushed again? They were barely in a state to defend themselves, yet she knew they had to go on the offense. Arturia's eyes narrowed with inner confliction, and Excalibur shook in her fierce grip.

"We'll weather the storm… but our allies need assistance," Brynhildr reassured as she glanced towards the fighting group. With the help of a bombardment of arrows from an allied Arash and Tristan, another Xuanzang dove into the fray to assist the knights against the constantly regenerating foe. Even with the sporadic assistance of the Egyptian allies far above, they were barely keeping a stalemate thanks to the distraction by the new pylons; All of the pillars needed to be suppressed if the barriers were to fall.

That's when they appeared from the shadows. Cursed Arm, or an allied one, most likely, appeared from spirit form beside her and chuckled. "We meet again, King Arturia!"

"Cursed Arm… Your presence is welcome in trying times!" Arturia allowed herself a breath of relief as the countless forms of the allied Hundred Face, and another Serenity, took up defensive positions around the incapacitated servants. Brynhildr waved to the allied Serenity, but blinked when all she got was a look of confusion; At least she waved back.

"We're not as capable of fighting the pillars as you would be, so allow us to defend in your place!" Allied Serenity reassured. Arturia nodded in appreciation, and opened her mouth to-

A bright light and powerful presence flared from above them, and the young-looking king quickly pivoted Dun Stallion. Her initial fear it was an enemy subsided, but the forming silhouette didn't calm her nerves; The allied Hassans remained skeptical. Another servant had just arrived as a second summoning circle formed beside it. The figure descended atop her horse, and it galloped quickly to their group. Arturia watched, with narrow and skeptical eyes, as the Lion King trotted into the air before her.

The taller counterpart, one she wished to forget about, glanced around the battlefield with her ethereal eyes, then down at the injured servants. She passed a blank glance across the many arrived Hassans, but said nothing to them. Soon, those stoic eyes came to rest on Arturia. To her confusion, there was no hatred or disdain aimed at her either, but a simple, serious, and familiar look she held endlessly in her past life.

The Lion King spoke firmly, "…I shall admit my disbelief. It is impressive that you managed to force their hand, King of Knights."

"You're still alive… How… and why?" Arturia questioned immediately, but was first answered with a simple scoff.

"My connection to my brave knights was scattered into a beam of light, my fate was to fade to nothing," the goddess lancer answered as she pivoted her horse about. "But even so, my lance has not forgotten their struggle… It hasn't forgotten yours either."

"Arty… Is that…?" Arthur asked through pained breath as he gazed up at the new arrival; Ishtar had also paused her bombardment momentarily to look with uncontrolled curiosity at the clearly older Arturia. The Lion King turned to look at the Mesopotamian Goddess, then him, and she knew she didn't need to answer.

The Lion King merely turned her gaze back towards the nearby fight and lifted her hand. "Leave the final push to us, King of Knights. I am the King of the Storm... The Lion King. I am the one who has been entrusted with Rhongomyniad."

Arturia blinked in surprise as a comet, the second servant, came down in the ruins. The surrounding brilliance dissipated into the air as the allied Bedivere was revealed. He opened his eyes, and first caught glimpse of his wounded Chaldean counterpart. He then turned towards the Lion- He stopped and gazed towards Arturia. Quickly a smile formed, and he nodded to her. "…I'm glad to see I've still been able to help you."

"You  _never_  fail to," Arturia smiled back. He chuckled lightly, then turned to the Lion King.

He placed a hand over his heart and bowed. "My liege… At your word!"

"Then attend me, Silver Knight of Violet. This mindless violence shall merit no further chance of defeat now that all my knights are here," the Lion King declared as the allied servant nodded to wards her diligently. Arturia looked between them, then at the pillars. Her eyes narrowed as the fresh Bedivere was the first to charge off, eager to join his fellow knights in the battle.

Arturia made her decision. "Arthur, Brynhildr! Please watch over them! Rin! I'm going to assist! I won't allow the Lion King to believe us incapable!"

"Then this goddess will gladly be your escort, Saber!" Ishtar happily chimed in as she playfully tossed and caught a handful of gems. She glanced to the allied Arash, who had joined Tota in bombarding the distant targets as they laughed together. "They'll be fine without my help."

The Lion King heard, and turned her head back to look at her smaller counterpart. Her eyes were stone, yet pierced like the sharpest blades. It was blank, yet she could feel the skepticism and curiosity. Arturia wasn't in perfect condition, as evidenced by her armor and a few cuts, but she was far from out of the fight. With the Hassans now here to help defend, though, she was more than confident the others would be fine.

Even so, the Lion King allowed herself the smallest of huffs as she scrutinized the King of Knights. "Can you keep up with me?"

Arturia's only answer was to summon Rhongomyniad into her other hand, with a gaze as strong as Camelot's walls.

* * *

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ IX ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

With every passing second, the crimson barrier's flickering increased with frequency. It wasn't long now before it would collapse completely. From what Roman could see, the central isle's defensive field flickered just as much; The pillars were obviously struggling to maintain either while they defended themselves. The suppression strategy was working again, and if lady luck was on their side, Goetia was out of surprises with the arrival of the last pillars.

Just on the other side of the barrier, the allied Roman Empire servants were successfully suppressing the newly arrived pillars. Alongside them, Darius III and another Spartacus ran amok, joined by a counterpart Boudica and Altera. It didn't look like they needed any help, nor would they likely be attacked as they flew past. That meant the last thing they needed to worry about were the lightbands…

The Beachhead bustled with preparations around him as Anishka coordinated the forces; Rama and Sita were doing their best to help her with it. Quetzalcoatl's phantasmal beasts were already soaring the skies overhead like a hurricane, ready to swoop in on command. Drake's resummoned fleet remained on standby, and a flash of prana that even he could feel heralded the arrival of the Queen Anne's Revenge. He turned to look as Anishka made her way over to the ship, which seemed to have been docked beside the Beachhead.

Anishka turned to him and waved. "Doctor Roman! We'll get you to the central is-"

"No need, Anishka. He's coming with us." Gilgamesh's voice had been so absolute, Roman felt a nervous shiver run through his body. He turned around and looked towards the King of Heroes, who resided atop his Vimana as it slowly lowered to the ground. Enkidu was already on the edge of the wind, knelt down and prepared to help him up. At the golden aircraft's flanks, Ozymandias' glorious barge and Iskandar's chariot stood poised as escorts.

Roman could only stare in disbelief, which caused Gilgamesh to scoff. "Stop daydreaming and get aboard. I, the King, do not give these offers lightly."

Enkidu merely chuckled. "Don't mind him! He's a little anxious Gudao is in danger! So he wants to get there without any delays!"

Gilgamesh huffed lightly at Enkidu's words, but kept his arms crossed as he stared at Roman. Without any further hesitation, Roman reached out and grabbed Enkidu's hand. He yelped as the lancer quickly pulled him onto the Vimana with ease, then coaxed him towards his seat. Roman looked to Gilgamesh and nodded. "… Thanks."

"You can thank me by doing what you must when we get there," he responded evenly with a firm expression. They shared a knowing look, and Roman merely nodded without any hesitation. Gilgamesh spared a tiny smirk of approval. "Hold on tight. I'm not stopping for anything. That's the only warning I will grant you."

Iskandar and Ozymandias laughed as Roman sat down in the passenger seat. Enkidu merely sat down beside him, and he hoped he'd make enough of a seatbelt of sorts. The barrier flickered violently before them, but his attention was snagged by a loud yell. "Doctor Roman!"

He glanced back towards the Queen Anne's Revenge, which slowly maneuvered behind them. Altera stood on the very bow with a hopeful, yet concern, smile. She waved to him eagerly as Atalanta and David made their way up to her. "Good luck! The Romans and I will hear your exploits at dinner!"

It hurt just to see her hopeful expression. It hurt even more to wave back and smile, "Thank you, and I hope so! Be safe out there, everyone!"

Several other riders gathered on their flying mounts as the Golden Hind approached. Anishka was now present on the bow of the Queen Anne's Revenge, but her silence and concentration clearly indicated she was managing telepathic instructions. As she did so, several servants waved and yelled out to him.

"May god guide your way, Doctor Roman!" "You better kick Goetia twice for me!" "Give him a beatdown, Roma- Er… Solomon?" "Get us that victory!"

Regardless of their previous reactions, which he hadn't truly seen, he was glad for what he saw now. Their skepticism, and often hatred, for 'Solomon' had placed the fear of retribution on him. It had made him afraid of what they'd do if he revealed himself, but suddenly that seemed like a ridiculous worry. They looked at him and called out like they had back in Chaldea, and, at worst, some just seemed to be confused what his name was supposed to be now.

It made his heart swell, and numbed all the anguish further. They cheered and accepted him for who he was, yet they didn't know what he must do. The servants still looked at him the same they always had in Chaldea, except with a little more support and concern for his well-being. In the end, Roman was still Roman to them.

He allowed himself to wave and smile back with a lie. Even if he left them ignorant, he didn't want their last memory of him to be tarnished. He'd smile like the idiot some still teased him as. He made one final glance to David, who merely chuckled and nodded to him. They shared one last grin before Enkidu lightly tapped him on the shoulder.

"Anishka's forces will move in to break a hole if Goetia raises those flying defenses again," he informed dutifully with a reassuring smile. "After that, they'll split up and commit to rescue operations!"

"Wait! What about our Landing Zone? Those new pillars are so close, we need to… be…" Roman asked quickly, but a gaze to the ground at three servants and understood. Arjuna and Karna stood poised and ready below. A grinning Romulus also looked ready to sprint in and help his fellow Romans. "...Ah."

"Everyone must return home safely," Gilgamesh declared as he glanced knowingly to Roman. The doctor looked back, but his smile only faded partially. "That was Anishka's order."

Gilgamesh smirked widened as Roman nodded without hesitation. "Then I'll just have to make sure that happens."

"Good answer, physician."

* * *

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ X ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

Since the beginning of man, many adages had been born to address different ideas. It was a human-born concept, like many, that attempted to explain an occurrence with truth; Though a bit primitive, it was one of the few things Goetia could agree with. Wisdom was a worthwhile pursuit to form proper answers.

Perhaps that's why it irked the beast that one adage in particular rose to the forefront of his mind: Murphy's Law.

It was a ridiculous notion at its core. The idea that 'anything that can go wrong, will go wrong if given the chance' was preposterous. It was a belief that the absolute lowest of chances would be the one to generate. It was a generalized statement that nothing ever goes right regardless of the overwhelming odds and probability presented by logical observation. By all means, Murphy's Law was an adage that went against reason itself by its very definition.

And yet, that's exactly what was happening at this critical juncture.

" _Hospital can't contain the damage! Switching all functions to defense and self-preservation!"_

" _Spy Satellite can't sustain further damage! Switching to recovery operations!"_

" _Enemy opposition is too strong! Observatory still can't revert to fueling the defensive barriers!"_

The islands were succumbing to the new assault… an internal attack that was supposed to have been completely prevented in the first place. The newest isle had even come under assault by seemingly wayfaring servants who appeared from nowhere. Six of the eight islands had been completely suppressed, and the other two would falter shortly. It didn't matter how much resources or energy Goetia focused into holding up the defense. They'd managed to thread too many needles.

Chaldea was going to break down the barriers completely.

While the chaos erupted around them, Goetia wanted to know why. It always sought understanding and enlightenment, yet no matter how much it, or they as a collective, tried… humanity could never truly be understood. At the cusp of defeat and absolutely helpless, they still didn't give up. Had their perseverance allowed the impossible variables to take root? With their endless calculations and planning, had something so tiny yet absolutely crippling really been allowed to slip through the crack?

They searched for an answer. They pined for an answer. They wanted to understand why this was possible, and why it happened. Victory was on their doorstep, yet it was now in jeopardy. As the situation grew direr, the aggravating realization dawned upon Goetia.

It had happened because they, the collective, gave them the chance. Doubts had formed among them requesting at least one validating opinion, yet it was not required when they first chose to embark on this endeavor. Though they followed their plans, the schemes themselves worked around gaining knowledge and understanding for their whole. This defeat had as much to do with them and their thirst for wisdom as it did on variables known and unknown.

As the seventh island fell, Goetia understood the cause, and worked the variables in its mind with blinding speed. Chaldea was not victorious yet, but they could be. Their odds grew with every second, but it could still be stopped. If they acted accordingly and logically, and ceded where necessary, they could still win.

As the eighth island's reports grew desperate, Goetia made its decision.

* * *

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ XI ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

"Senpai…! The barrier! The barrier is…!" Mashu could hardly voice her words through her visibly growing happiness, and Gudao could barely do that same. Fou barked eagerly at their feet. The master's ravaged and bleeding heart was soothed even further as he stared at the flickering purple barrier. Bolts of white lightning shot across its surface like static. Every second, it flashed and groaned violently as its death throes combined with the endless chorus of shrieking demon pillars.

They were saved. He didn't understand how or why, but Chaldea had been given a second chance at victory. His heart didn't care about the circumstances; It merely latched on and grasped at growing hope. The alternative was wallowing in the inescapable fact his best, oldest friend was-

No. He almost did mere minutes ago, but not now. He could allow himself to succumb to his crippling anguish later when humanity was saved. He had to stay focused. Reinforcements were coming, and Goetia had to pay for everything its done. Merlin's sacrificed manifestation bought them enough time, and he wouldn't allow it to be squandered so readily.

Yet, Goetia seemed so impossibly strong. Even Merlin's best did nothing, so what did that say for the others? Nevertheless, part of him chastised those thoughts. The group at the Beachhead likely had a new strategy to deal with Goetia. He held onto the hope that this spectacular comeback wasn't just humanity's swan song: It would be their prelude to the future ahead!

As the barrier groaned violently, Gudao's eyes narrowed as even more of those floating, defensive pylons appeared around the central isle. Some joined the bombardment on the outer circle, but most formed a blockade between the central isle and the Beachhead. Goetia was obviously not going to allow them to land easily, but Gudao believed otherwise. As the barriers finally vanished and the clear, starry skies appeared once more, Gudao took on a hopeful smile.

The combined Chaldean armada had never looked so absolutely beautiful to Gudao.

Over a hundred wooden warships, countless flying phantasmal beasts, and several more flying assets lurched forward into action. Drake's warships opened up with a deadly bombardment. Several of the rune-etched, stone defenses barely stood a chance. Pierced like paper, they detonated spectacularly as the remainder tried to return fire.

Between the golden beams from the armada and several magecraft-forged shields that prepared to block, the fleet lit up like New Years celebration. Dozens of Goetia's hastily raised defenses fell faster than they could be raised. The earth shook, and the air roared with the screams of powerful volleys; Gudao and Mashu couldn't hide their delighted, excited smiles as the path to them was cleared-

" **Third Noble Phantasm. Ars Salomis. Deploy."**

* * *

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ XII ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

It felt as if the very air chilled and shook. It became harder to breathe, or maybe that was just his natural instinct as he was delivered into fate's hands. Roman didn't know what it was, but he clearly understood what was playing out before them as the rocky, tainted earth seemed to groan louder than the war around them. Wind rushed past his face as the Vimana held course, but even with squinted eyes, his gaze was locked forward.

The lightbands had turned a malevolent black, and the stars had seemingly dimmed as it shook the domain. Within its once abyssal core, a twisted amalgamation of gray tentacles sprawled from the center to reach the edges of the lightbands. They formed roots at their edges, and spun ominously around their central core that hummed with its bright, ruby glow. The mere look of it screamed danger, but its presence was overwhelming.

His hair stood on end. His spine could have snapped with all its shivering, but he was frozen. Though a regular person, Roman could feel the sheer power emanating from the lightbands. His natural instincts screamed to run; There was no way to fight this.

His knowledge agreed, for the readings on the Chaldean sensors were not faulty. These were the lightbands that would incinerate the human order. This was an attack whose power was unrivalled by anything on earth… and Goetia was going to unleash it on them.

"Anishka's calling for evasive action…" Gilgamesh murmured as his narrowed eyes remained on the central core.

Enkidu frowned. "The Chaldean fleet is too slow. There's no dodging that."

Roman, in a desperate panic, looked back as the loud groans of the fleet signaled their turns. Enkidu was right; They wouldn't make it. He turned forward to stare at the furious, powerful attack as it entered its final stage. A thin line of bright, amethyst light glinted like a lens flare. The very air felt like it shook as an otherworldly groan, like a monster from his worst nightmares, signaled its charge.

" **We're fast enough! Why aren't we dodging!?"**  Roman cried out. He couldn't die here! If he did, all of their efforts would be for naught! Gilgamesh definitely knew how important he was as a chess piece, and yet the Vimana kept its course forward. Roman's paranoia roared with renewed life, both for humanity's future, and the possibility even more casualties would be gained before the end was over.

With nothing else to do, he stared at Gilgamesh in disbelief, but he merely faced forward with crossed arms and a serious expression. The doctor glanced to the flanking chariot and golden barge that didn't change course. Lord El-Melloi II looked unnerved beside his king. Iskandar was tense, yet he held the reins firm and urged the chariot forward.

On the grand, Egyptian barge, Nitocris quivered in visible panic by Ozymandias and Cleopatra. The fashionista pharaoh turned towards the Vimana, and her look of uncertainty was barely discernible, much like the rider's beside her. They were all as wary as him, yet the still followed Gilgamesh.

Roman would place his trust in Gilgamesh too, but he didn't understand why. He just placed his trust in Gilgamesh's confidence since he could do little else.

* * *

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ XIII ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

Mashu's eyes glanced quickly at Gudao. Fear was already seeping back into his form, and his hand shook as it held hers. Just moments ago, everything looked so optimistic too. She gripped her shield tightly, and squeezed his hand gently in reassurance; He didn't respond. At best, he was trying to find an answer quickly. At worst, he was petrified, but she couldn't blame him.

It was horrifying. The sheer magnitude of the gathered power was unbelievable. Mashu had felt fear several times in her short life, but nothing had ever been as terrifying as the form the lightbands took. Their scale was immeasurable, and the eerie pitch of its reverberation rattled her core. It was difficult to breathe, let alone move… but she wouldn't freeze!

Though her instincts screamed to run, her heart demanded otherwise. After everything she'd been through, she couldn't run. So many times in the past she'd lost her nerve, only to reprimand herself harshly later for her ineptitude. She was Chaldea's shielder class demi-servant. They were guardians who protected anything they held dear. Even if part of her beckoned her to flee, she knew there was no escaping this… so she wouldn't run.

It wasn't just Gudao behind her, but the Chaldean fleet. So many smiling faces who've come together to make the only home she'd ever known that much more beautiful. They could've done anything, but what they've made was impossibly unique. She loved it all, and it crushed her heart that it would all disappear because of a beast's beliefs. It steadied her rapidly growing resolve that there was only one option left, and she'd place her heart and soul into that gamble.

 **"Your journey ends here, Chaldea!"**  Goetia triumphant voice boomed with an intensity never before heard. Spheres of amethyst light formed across the singularity. They accelerated exponentially as they rocketed towards the bright red core at the heart of the lightbands. It glowed brighter as the world shook violently.  **"The time of birth has come… he is the one who has mastered all!"**

 **"Senpai…!"**  she quickly exclaimed, and it broke him momentarily out of his trance. With a gentle squeeze of his held hand, she leaned in swiftly. She wanted to savor the kiss as she always had, and make it last an eternity. Yet, she couldn't; Time wouldn't allow it.

A million words ran through her head, yet it pained her she couldn't voice them all. There was so much she wanted to say to him… to thank him for everything he was to her… to reassure him everything will be alright! She wanted to tell him how happy he's made her in the short time she'd gotten to experience a true life as a person, and not some experiment. And yet, critical seconds would pass far faster than she desired.

That lone, simple kiss, shorter than most she'd ever given him, had to say most of it. Their lips parted as quickly as they came together, and she offered a soft, smile. "I won't let him hurt you, Gudao."

As Fou barked anxiously, Gudao stared at her in surprise and concern."…Mashu…?"

Her mind scrambled for another way, but her heart led her forward. She jumped towards Goetia, and landed a safe distance between him and Gudao. The beast merely gazed at her and held out its hand as the ominous noise rumbled overhead. To steel her heart further, she yelled defiantly into the growing chaos.  **"This is our homeland! That which heals all our wounds and all our grudges!"**

Without hesitation, she lifted her shield to the heavens as the incoming storm before her turned deafening.  _ **"MANIFEST! LORD CAMELOT!"**_

Harder than she ever had before, she slammed their last hope dramatically into the ground. Her face was the definition of determination and resolve as she grit her teeth at the beast. The shield lit up with a blue aura, then quickly expanded. She threw her heart and soul into it with a prayer on her lips. Even if her resolve to protect everyone remained absolute, she was uncertain if she'd live through this. Yet, she didn't waver. If she had to die, she wanted to do it giving her all to protect everything so precious to her.

Her friends… Her family… Her lover… All of them would be protected even if she couldn't see them again!

As her emotions poured into her shield, she was blind to the effect. The conceptual walls of Camelot formed around her. Brick by brick, it constructed at a speed that defied logic. Its size was incomparable to all other attempts before; It was truly a bastion that formed between Goetia and his targets. She remained unaware, even as the walls grew stronger and former greater. Every thought was throwing all she had into stopping the attack.

" **It is meaningless!"**  Goetia roared.  _ **"ARS ARMADEL SALOMONIS!"**_

A bright light consumed her vision, and the storm opened up. The roar of the incoming beam was impossibly deafening, and her ear drums felt like they burst. She barely had a fraction of a second to register her loss of hearing before the force of the attack slammed into her mighty barrier. She felt herself pushed backwards, yet she remained focused. Everything she had was poured into the shield as she fought the impossible.

Her legs threatened to give out. Her energy drained far faster than she could fathom. The heat which roasted her skin made her feel like she'd melt instantly, yet even through the horrific pain that expanded exponentially, she held defiant. She forced her all into keeping the shield up.

Even if it looked impossible, Mashu kept believing! She was the equivalent of an ant fighting the might of the incoming tide, but she didn't waver. She couldn't, and she wouldn't! With every fiber of her now believing this was the only course, she stood her ground and held back the destructive avalanche.

There was only a blinding light before her. The heat on her skin was unbelievably painful, and it evaporated her tears as soon as they formed. Every gasp of breath dried her mouth further, and her legs felt like they were going to snap like matchsticks. She screamed in pain and determination, but she couldn't hear it. It felt like an eternity of torment, yet she held.

She had to, for the sake of everything she cared about that rested behind her. With one last glance, she looked backwards towards Gudao. He was blurry among the reflected light of the massive, conceptual walls, but she could see him. He stared in disbelief and horror, and yelled something she couldn't hear. Tears were forming in his eyes, and she was glad the heat hid her own. She merely offered one last smile to him, and a silent thank you that just his sight alone helped bolster her resolve further.

It was too late to apologize she couldn't keep her promise. With every passing second of immeasurable pain, she knew grimly this was likely the end for her, but she'd still try to save them all. It pained her to leave Gudao, and hurl him into even greater torment, but... this was the moment she was made for. She was the only one who capable of possibly stopping the impossible. No, not possibly… She would! The attack will not harm them!

As she looked back into the might of the attack, she held, even as her body tingled and felt oddly cold. The pain was subsiding, yet the intensity of the attack remained. The calm clarity in her numbness was like a small sanctuary, though her focus and belief remained in her task. Her smile remained, even as her body felt lighter and weaker. Nevertheless, she held the shield valiantly, as countless beautiful memories flashed through her mind.

Images of her experiences in Chaldea replaced the blinding light, before her. They were so vivid, and beckoned her heart to remain steadfast. It made her wonder what might have been, but she was resolved. Though fate was cruel, she would never replace the hand it dealt her for anything. She closed her eyes gently as her smile widened.

With all its ups and downs, she felt satisfied with what was, and never would be.

Mashu didn't scream as the overwhelming cascade finally consumed the unyielding demi-servant.


	7. Chapter 6: Parting Words

Though his eyes remained bolted shut, the sheer might of the attack pierced the veil. Behind his shielding eyelids, all Roman could see was absolute white. It felt like he sat before a welcoming campfire, yet his panicked mind braced for far worse. For what felt like eons, he prayed this was not the end, and hoped the blazing heat would remain deceptively bearable. With every passing second, the roar of the unrelenting tidal wave of energy wreaked havoc in his mind.

When the heat began to subside, Roman quickly gasped for new breath. His eyes remained shut, for the light refused to yield. It didn't stop him from grasping for precious air, which was now thick with residual energy; It felt like breathing through a straw even though the air raced past his face. Gilgamesh's Vimana still hurdled forward, and they were still alive. Relief swelled in his muscles as the light began to fade away.

"We're… We're alive…?" the doctor breathed, and Enkidu breathed beside him with his own relief. It was short lived.

The Vimana banked sharply, and Gilgamesh grunted as a focused blast of azure prana shot past the left wing of his ancient aircraft. Roman followed his narrowed eyes into the brightly lit area. The central isle was ablaze with light, like a miniature star. Backlit across its surface were the remaining floating pylons. Their runes glowed brightly, making them fade and flicker in Roman's vision thanks to the bright supernova behind them. More bolts whizzed past as Gilgamesh maneuvered his aircraft closer to their goal.

Roman's mind raced for an answer as Gilgamesh formed the first portals. Something or someone had stopped that apocalyptic attack… A force of unfathomable, unstoppable energy, made to vaporize the surface of the Earth, had been halted. As prana-forged projectiles flew past them, Roman's pounding heart was numbed to the current danger due to the disbelief they even survived the former. To stop that was an impossible feat, and yet Gilgamesh seemed to understand they would be fine. But why?

Cries from Iskandar's bulls tore Roman's attention to the flanking chariot. He barely looked over when a streak of golden light tore past. He and Enkidu gasped in awe as dozens of golden portals formed around the second, newly arrived Vimana. The white supernova faded as the fired treasures raced across the sky to join Gilamesh's own. With pinpoint precision, they slammed into several of the final, floating defenses in their way. The second aircraft quickly turned for a second pass as it streaked back towards them.

As it passed, it slowed enough to allow its pilot to observe them. Roman stared up at the other Gilgamesh, whose eyes glanced quickly between the Chaldean spearhead, then to the Vimana. His eyes widened ever so slightly upon seeing the Chaldean Gilgamesh and Enkidu staring back. It had been a brief few seconds, but it proved enough for him. He smirked with pride as Drake's warships renewed their supporting bombardment.

The other Vimana quickly accelerated to deal with the last floating defenses. Enkidu blinked and looked to Gilgamesh. "He didn't want to say anything…?"

The archer smirked back as the other Gilgamesh assaulted the final pylons. "I imagine if he was disappointed, he would have."

Roman's thoughts resided differently over King Gil. Was he the one who saved them? No. As unbelievably powerful as Gilgamesh was, he doubted he had a weapon that could stop that attack. Ea might be capable of it, but there had been no telltale signs of its deployment. King Gil clearly just arrived, and Gilgamesh had it nowhere on his person. Their savior obviously resided elsewhere.

It was only when the supernova faded further, and Roman looked towards the quickly approaching land, did he understand. The ground looked untouched, yet the massive, pure walls of Camelot stood proudly in the dying light. They reached to the skies like towers, similar in stature to the ones they encountered in Jerusalem. Though they flickered and began disintegrating, Mashu had managed to stave off the impossible, yet it worried him.

His eyes scanned the ground before the collapsing walls as the starry skies became visible again. Camelot's conceptual walls faded into the purest white, and vanished into a haze of snowy light. The area looked unnaturally beautiful with its leave, like the rays of the sun piercing dispersing clouds after a storm. It allowed him to view the rapidly approaching island with clarity, yet the only two figures he could see was Gudao and Goetia.

His heart sank as his eyes failed to find Mashu.

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ Ω ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

_**Chapter 6: Parting Words** _

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ Ω ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

Gabrielle cowered underneath Merlin's concealment cape. That massive earthquake and the blinding light had scared the hell out of her. It reminded her of the seconds where she thought she was going to die; She assumed Goetia had found her! When the light faded, she was still alive, yet confusion ran rampant through her.

She could hear occasional telepathic messages, and the barriers were clearly absent. She was almost certain Chaldea had broken through, but she was still conflicted on how to act. Merlin told her clearly to stay put and silent unless she wanted Goetia to locate her. But now the barriers were gone, and a counter offensive was likely going on… Did that mean it was safe to reveal herself?

Yet there was no one within sight. Her helplessness was driving her insane as she endlessly debated with herself. Even her impulsive thoughts were torn between hiding and calling out for help. Her eyes glanced around furiously as frustration over herself and her situation doubled with every minute that passed. Her fists shook as they grasped the concealment cape, and her indecisiveness over the unknown crippled her.

She at least managed to growl to herself as she waited. "When I get out of here, I wanna punch something."

* * *

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ III ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

"…Mashu…?" Gudao's voice was dry and dripped with doubt.

He gazed numbly forward, waiting for the sweetest chimes to ring through his ears. "…Mashu…?"

"Fou, fou!" the fluffy creature cried in concern as it quickly scampered up Gudao. It came to rest on his shoulder, and looked around quickly in desperation. It turned back to the master and licked him, but it failed to do anything. "Fou, fou!"

"How unexpected," An irritated Goetia noted at the base of the throne's ascent. It lowered its arm as it stared towards the upright shield. Its central eye gazed towards the still master, then rested on Fou. "Did you play a role in this? Would you truly go so far for the humans?"

Though Fou growled angrily back, Gudao couldn't hear it. It couldn't hear anything as his lips tried to mouth that precious name once more. He couldn't. Though they moved and formed the words automatically, they never took to the air. He merely mumbled and wobbled where he stood, and felt the heavy weights on his shoulders crack and break his knees. Though his lips continued to try and voice his heart's growing denial, his mind could not be lied to.

He couldn't feel Mashu's warm presence anywhere.

His gaze remained on the shield before him, still planted firmly in the ground where she made her stand. From where he'd been, the sheer heat made him feel like he was boiling alive. He felt scorched underneath his still-steaming battle suit, yet the pain that ached at his skin felt nothing like the endless lashes of his pounding heart. It raced frantically as it tried to tell the mind it was wrong, yet there was no denying it.

' _Gabby… Mashu…'_  It became a mantra. Endlessly chanted in his head, it severely hampered any of his instinctual or rational thoughts.

His mind was in a panic as it sorted the facts. Mashu had sacrificed herself before him to keep him, and everyone behind him, safe. There was nothing between him and Goetia now. It was just another setback for this seemingly immortal beast. His flight or fight instincts were screaming for a response to act. All these reactions were just a tiny life preserver in the now overwhelming tsunami that threatened to drown him, and he couldn't even see it.

A cold numbness filled his body. He didn't feel the sharp pain that rocketed through his knees as he collapsed to the ground. Fou barked frantically to get Gudao's attention, yet his gaze remained shaky and locked onto the shield before him. The lone grave stood there in the otherworldly, beautiful light as an endless reminder he couldn't tear his eyes from. His hands shook, and new tears formed in his eyes.

Still, he gazed forward as tears silently raced down his cheeks. The relentless pounding of his heart deafened him to the world around, but he didn't even yell in torment. His mind worked fruitlessly to try and restore his mindset, but he'd already fallen too far. It hurt impossibly just to acknowledge Gabrielle had left him, but now Mashu too?

The mantra repeated, and the wheel turned endlessly. Their absence rocked him to the core to the point the master didn't see Goetia stare towards the sky behind him. He was hardly aware of anything around him anymore. Gudao, traumatized and overwhelmed, just cried soundlessly in his mental torture.

* * *

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ IV ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

"You sure they'll be fine for now, Annie?" Rama voiced as he stared towards the central isle.

"I hope so, Shri Rama, but we'll be quick," Anishka reassured as she stared firmly ahead. Blackbeard's vessel sailed towards the next island on the Western wing, where Medea's unholy bombardment continued unabated. The onboard archers began their own bombardment as many of Quetzalcoatl's phantasmal beasts swooped down to begin their task. "We'll send others soon, but aiding our allies is our top priority."

Their newfound allies were a blessing, but they didn't have a source of energy. They were likely running low on their own reserves, which meant the pillars needed to be suppressed again; Their injured servants were also down there. As much as she wanted to help out Roman right now, they needed to keep the path secure. She only hoped they'd be able to regroup and consolidate fast enough.

"It doesn't look like the Greek witch is in any mood to play nurse," Blackbeard pointed out as he gestured over his shoulder. Thanks to the lingering magical energy now flushed through the air, her ferocity only seemed to intensify; It honestly made Anishka nervous to even attempt to contact her. "Looks like you're going to be doing the heavy lifting. You capable of that much?"

As Altera leapt over the side of the ship to land on one of Quetzalcoatl's mounts, Anishka nodded firmly. With so many servants capable of countless acts, there was almost no actual need for the masters to do anything; It was usually best to save energy and play safe. Compared to Gudao and… the late Gabrielle… she had a refined set of skills that could be used more readily in Chaldea's battles. She just rarely got the chance to do so, which she counted as a blessing.

This was a very different situation. Most of their present healers were scattered across the singularity. She was banking on Medea, Sanson, or Geronimo to be able to assist her on this wing since Tamamo was with Drake on the Eastern front. She was intimidated to even try talking to Medea at the moment, but it was far less of an inconvenience than it would have been  _before_  that horrifying attack.

The lingering energy in the air was unnaturally thick, and that played well into her favor. Her best work was done on top of a leyline so she could channel the vast energies, but this would be just as ideal for her magecraft. She smiled to Blackbeard, who cocked an eyebrow as she nodded. "I will. Please just sail us from island to island until we recover all the wounded."

She then quickly turned to Sita at her side and bowed. "Shri Sita… May I request for you and Shri Rama direct the rescue efforts in my stead?"

"You got it, Annie!" Rama quickly answered while Sita smiled earnestly.

After bowing again, Anishka jogged off the bow of the ship, and chose a suitable spot with plenty of room around her. As the ship lurched slightly with Blackbeard's maneuvering, she sat down on the deck and crossed her legs. With eyes closed, she placed her hands gently together in front of her in namaste prayer. The boat lurched again, yet this time, she was now bedrock.

Long breaths steadied and calmed her soul as she entered the necessary state of mind. Calmness and clarity raced through her system to throw unwanted thoughts and needs away. She breathed slowly, and her magic circuits gently warmed with initial activation of her specialized magecraft. David raced across the deck, but she didn't notice his presence; He merely glanced to her in surprise at the inviting, calming aura that began wafting off her like an incoming tide.

Though the battle raged across the singularity, and her own worries tried to shake her from reverie, Anishka quickly found herself in a bodiless state as she uttered the first words of her mantra.

* * *

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ V ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

Goetia went through its mental checklist once more as it raised new defensive pylons. The beast's central eye gazed at the ground before it. The intermixed tentacles steamed and writhed with the ruined earth, which looked more like glassed sand. Each tendril hissed and coiled as it regenerated itself across the devastated isle, but stopped at a perfect line where the great shield remained planted in the ground.

Though Mashu's defense had been a surprising turn of events, it was just another piece off the chessboard. Chaldea wouldn't be able to rely on that defensive measure again, and it would only take a few minutes to prime the attack again. All Goetia had to do was buy a few minutes time, which was no task considering its impenetrable defenses.

It was merely unfortunate that more energy would be expended to decimate the Chaldean invaders. There would be a setback in the time schedule, though at very worst, their collective would only need to adjust calculations for an additional year. That should be enough to suffice, and they would be guaranteed to have enough energy to snuff out the last invaders.

Many of their collective were frustrated at the turn of events, but Goetia kept them placid. It ensured their reactions were kept in check. Even if they had their own differences and eagerness to respond, Goetia firmly remained the pinnacle that united the seventy-two. While it was still in control, it would not tolerate wayward actions like Flauros. The situation remained unstable, but so long as it kept the pillars composed and acting accordingly, this could be repaired in minutes.

At this point, it was just a waiting game, for the humans only scurried and attacked like an angered swarm of wasps around an elephant. Goetia gazed briefly at the collapsed master, who remained on his knees with a distant look. The man was absolutely broken, and it would no longer pose any sort of threat; Even the smaller beast had finally abandoned him. The only ones who might cause some annoyances descended towards the ground behind him.

Sun beams tore through newly formed pylons as glowing scarabs raced like comets to rip through others. Iskandar's chariot took the full brunt of a focused prana blast, but the electrified mount merely charged forward and obliterated the offending floating stone. As the escorts rampaged across Goetia's constantly generating pylons, the Vimana landed behind Gudao and kicked up a small cloud of dust; The master didn't move.

"Gudao!" Enkidu quickly leapt off the ancient aircraft and ran to the master. Goetia watched his concern increase exponentially upon seeing the man's crushed expression. Its attention turned to Gilgamesh, who glared angrily at the beast. It finally shifted its gaze curiously to Roman as he jumped off the Vimana and raced towards the shield. A simple human had come to the central isle, and Goetia couldn't figure out why. Yet, it didn't matter.

It just needed to bide those few more minutes so it could fire the lightbands in a dispersed configuration.

* * *

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ VI ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

_Roman's eyes narrowed slightly to shield himself from the room's bright lights. He never did get used to it through his many visits, nor the near emptiness of the room. His footsteps echoed as they stepped on the spotless, white tiles. The massive, one-way window looked like an empty frame on this end, and hid several observers from the occupant's sight. With only a lone, white cot with an adjacent table and chair, there was little to distract from the… experiment._

_He hated how that term was used ever since he found out about it. The perceived inconsequence most mages held to lives had grown into an insufferable thought, though was he really that much better with his own previous indifference? He could debate how hypocritical his feelings were now, but this was a new life. He wasn't Solomon anymore, but just the head Doctor in Chaldea overseeing the health of his patient._

_Roman refused to refer to her by her number as some still did._

_The young girl, barely thirteen of age, who sat on the bed before him was a person in his eyes. Clad in just a light blue hospital patient's gown, her excited eyes stared at the book clutched on top of his clipboard; She held one in her lap underneath her folded hands. He couldn't hold back his own smile on seeing how happy she was at the prospect he might have the requested novel, yet it also caused his heart to ache._

_She was but one of a number that were created and raised artificially to serve as potential hosts for Heroic Spirits. This girl, with a shorter lifespan than regular people, was more of a mix of a homunculus and human than to be truly either. It pained him that this bright-eyed girl, who was eager to learn as much as she could, was seen mostly as a tool for his friend Marisbilly's ultimate goal. In the end, this girl was, at best, a sacrifice to help preserve humanity's future._

_Nonetheless, Roman could never see her that way, nor could he get angry at his friend without becoming infuriated with himself. As much as she was part of Marisbilly's hope, she was also part of his, since he was powerless. The visions haunted him to action, but he lost count of how many hours of sleep he lost upon realizing his own secret ambition was being shouldered by this child and the remaining others. One by one, the other 'experiments' failed, yet this one held promise, so she had been granted a name last year._

_Giving her a name made her feel that much more human, which he was happy about, but it made him grow attached. His heart couldn't distance itself any longer, and yearned to find a way to allow her to escape her fate. Even the small tokens he brought for her in the form of learning and understanding were pebbles compared to what he wanted for her: Personal freedom. He wanted so much for her, yet at the same time, he knew she might be his only hope if the servant summonings failed._

_Still, he smiled. "Good morning, Mashu. I hope you had a good night's rest?"_

_She smiled brightly and nodded back. "Yes, Doctor. I even managed to finish the book before I fell asleep!"_

" _That's great! And just in time for your new book!" he declared happily as he showed her the fine, elaborate cover. "The library happened to have it."_

_**The Sign of Four  
** _ _By Arthur Conan Doyle_

" _Thank you!" Mashu happily cheered as she took the novel with one hand. She placed the precursor book on her bed, and stared happily at her new one. She'd become quite the avid reader since he wasn't able to give her other leisurely items. It was worse to know he was the only one who did, let alone actually talked to her face to face. To this day, he's still the only one who had entered her room._

" _You're welcome," he nodded back, then pulled the stethoscope out of a pocket on his signature Chaldean coat. "But before I let you go, I need to do your weekly check. I hope that's alright with you?"_

_She nodded happily, and placed the book with her other. In truth, these check ups were unnecessary. The medical equipment could do it from the outside, and always had, but it felt so inhuman. He didn't want her to feel like that anymore, so this was as much for her sake as it was his own moral sanity. He placed the hearing cup against her back, and began the routine procedures._

_It was quick and painless, with nothing out of the ordinary. Besides her shortened life, she was as healthy as any regular person her age. He'd been worried her development had stunted, but her eagerness to learn about nearly anything in the outside world countered it. Her curiosity was matched only by her eagerness and optimism she may be able to experience it herself. He was partially at fault for that._

_As he placed his penlight away, Mashu fired one of her occasional, difficult curiosities. "Doctor? Do you think I'll ever get to meet my father?"_

_A pang ran through him. In his reckless desire of wanting her to feel like a person, he lied about her origin. Her mother died in childbirth, and her father disappeared long before then. They'd been taking extra care with her because of her unique, and often fatal, disease, but she held a promising future as a hero… or so the story went. It was horrible to lie to her, but he didn't have the heart to tell her the ugly truth behind it all._

_He merely gave a hopeful, yet sad smile, and rubbed her shoulder gently. "I hope so… I'm sorry. We're doing all we can to find him."_

_Though disappointment glinted in her eyes, she smiled gently. "…It's okay. I still don't know what to say when I do get to meet him."_

" _If you need help with that, you can practice it on me," he offered spontaneously, but scratch his head. "But uhh… I don't think my responses would be very accurate?"_

_Mashu giggled. "That's alright, Doctor. I think you'll do fine. You've been like a father figure to me this whole time!"_

_Those words staggered him, and but he quickly forced a laugh and scratched the back of his head with a cheesy grin. "You think so? That's… I don't think I'm that good! I think I've been more like your friend than a parental figure!"_

_Yet what kind of friend allowed all of this to happen to her? He would have even preferred a junior and senior sort of relation that they discussed when they first met. Him… a good-for-nothing doctor who should be doing so much more for her standards of living being seen as her father? It might have been the case in her eyes, but Roman was far too guilty to ever accept that title. She deserved far better than someone like him, so he'd refuse until the day he died._

_While he chastised himself, Roman silently hoped she'd find someone far more suited to act as her father before the… inevitable. More than that, he hoped she'd get a lot of friends, and perhaps even a lover… though he'd honestly be a bit picky and scrutinizing over her potential interests. But in the end, it would be all up to her, and he'd simply do what he could to give her those little pieces of happiness. At least one of them had to live a truly satisfying life._

_Mashu merely smiled back. "Maybe… but either way, you'll always be an important person to me! Thank you for being here!"_

_Roman blinked, but quickly offered a tiny, yet secretly pained, smile. "As long as you're happy."_

* * *

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ VII ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

Roman's hand remained on the shield, even though it stung from the residual heat. He stared at it blankly while his numb heart cried out for another painful death; It was the worst one of them all, and yet his resolve kept him standing. His will kept the tears at bay, or maybe he just didn't have any further tears to shed. The few that leaked before seemed to have been enough.

He glanced back quietly to Gudao, who was cradled defensively in Enkidu's grasp. The look on his face… He'd seen the master at his low points, when many weren't looking. Few times had the master actually shown it in public, and every time he did, he resolved to create a stronger hold on himself. He always had that tendency to bottle things up like Gabrielle, and he wondered if he learned that from the late master… To lose her, then to lose Mashu soon after. Roman was not surprised Gudao was practically comatose.

Yet, he had to at least mentally thank Gudao in such a terrible time. Though he would have preferred a far happier ending, he'd been one of the greatest gifts to Mashu. It made him happy to see the wonderful, pure love they formed together, and to even acknowledge its end was too brutal for him to dare think about. At the very end, at least she had developed into a strong, happy young woman who had a promising future in her lap.

" _Don't worry, Doctor! We'll be back before you know it!"_

Those had been the last words she said to her before the initial strike force arrived on the central isle. Her last hopeful smile burned itself deeper into his mind. It was hard to believe this tragedy had barely played out for more than an hour. Though it felt like an eternity in hell, he understood the implications.

His resolve was further fueled. More precious people were dying quickly, and that number was only going to grow exponentially now that Goetia was using the lightbands. The time for any mourning or hesitation had long since passed. There would only be one more sacrifice now that he was here. With firm eyes, he lowered his hand and took a few steps in front of the shield. His footing was slippery on the glassed earth, but he never stood taller. With clenched fists, he stared at Goetia as it eyed him curiously.

"So a mere human wishes to challenge me directly… Do you not wish to hide behind the servants, Acting Director Roman Archaman?"

"…Roman…?" Ah… So Gudao wasn't completely out of it. He glanced back towards Gudao, who stared at him like thin, cracked glass. He offered a small, sympathetic smile, but turned back to Goetia. He wanted to comfort the master so dearly, but time was ticking, and he didn't know when those light bands would fire next.

"I'm done hiding." His words were final, but they were the last brick in his wall of resolve. It was now or never. "I'm going to fix the mess I've made."

That immediately caught the beast's attention. Roman suppressed the shiver that ran down his spine as Goetia's gaze seemed to intensify. Without warning, golden portals appeared around Goetia, and Gilgamesh flicked his wrist. The golden chains of heaven attempted to wrap themselves around the beast, yet the second they touched it, they shattered and fragmented. Goetia converted and absorbed the residual energy as Gilgamesh growled.

Still, its heavy gaze threatened to crush Roman. "What curious words you've chosen. And what exactly do you think you can do?"

"Whatever it takes," Roman replied evenly, then brought his hands before him and quickly pulled off his dirtied gloves. The ornate ring quickly shimmered under the beautiful light, and Goetia's presence grew impossibly heavy. Roman's resolve managed to hold firm as the beast glared towards him.

"That… is the tenth ring of King Solomon," it growled out incredulously. "Then you…?"

"Roman is… Solomon…?" he heard Gudao barely voice from behind him.

"God told me to entrust this ring to the future," Roman declared. "That's where Marisbilly found it for the Holy Grail War, and summoned me."

"You're just a human with the tenth ring. We sense no saint graph," Goetia pointed out skeptically, though Roman could feel the growing pressure in the air.

"Because we won, and we had our wishes granted."

"…Wish?" Goetia seemed to scoff, then it let out a small laugh. "King Solomon… with a wish? As if that man would have anything like a wish! …Fiendish! Ruthless! Cruel! Merciless! The man who was my archetype would never have such a mundane wish! We call your bluff to stall for time, human."

"...It's a bit hurtful that you would say things like that about me. I guess you really do hate me that much…" Roman lamented. Though the beast didn't believe him, Roman took it as a blessing. He might have been flattened immediately otherwise. Maybe the beast was also stalling for time; Why else didn't the lightbands fry them all again? At that thought, Roman felt the pressure of time once more. "I don't need to you to believe me, Goetia. I just need to defeat you."

Goetia fell deathly quiet as the ring erupted with bright, golden light. The column consumed Roman, but he could only feel the soft embrace of its warmth. His body tingled, and he felt the familiar sense of od forming rapidly within. He felt magic circuits being reborn as the ring reverted the grail's wish, slowly yet completely. Floating in the warm embrace of the column, he felt the long-lost sense of might at his fingertips.

"You…  **You** …!?" he heard the beast cry out over the heavenly chimes of his transformation. It watched the nine other rings fly from the throne towards the column. " **Flauros…!**  To think even this would slip your sight is unfounded incompetence!"

Gilgamesh smirked. "He, who viewed the end of the world before he turned into a human… chose to keep his identity secret, and dedicated his life to solving the riddle! He struggled for humanity's sake when he could have lived a boring life until the end! Roman is worthy of the King's praise!"

The conversation outside was lost to Roman as his final gift was granted to him. He felt the other nine rings slip onto his fingertips as his hair blew wildly around him. As they seated themselves in their proper place, his vision flashed. Rapidly and quickly, his mind was consumed by uncountable visions. His clairvoyance had returned with the revelations at their side. Like a jarring movie of contrasting images, they flooded before him… but he understood it all.

Separate, they were meaningless to interpret as individual sights. Together, they were everything he needed to put his last doubts to rest. Countless images of smiling faces and warm scenes flickered for an eternity. Some he didn't know, but many he recognized. His mind and vision had granted him his heart's lingering wish as the future, bright and vivid, was promised in his sight.

Chaldea would succeed. The facility would return to its proper place in the real world. It would not be an easy transition, but they would see it through. The days of carefree smiles and casual living would continue unabated. Their home, though in several ways different, would remain the same.

If some glimpses were true, then their mission would not be over either. However, they would not be alone. More allies would arrive. More trials across the timeline would be answered. They'd manage together, just as they had in the past, and that left Roman content. Chaldea would be fine.

As the images, both old and new, mixed within his mind, Roman felt his ascension complete. He felt all powerful, just like in the days of Marisbilly's Holy Grail War. It had barely been a struggle with his might, and it gave Roman a new sense of hope. He was Goetia's creator, and his current strength served as a reminder of how powerful he could be. Maybe he wouldn't have to resort to that last noble phantasm to win. His optimism skyrocketed as the column of light faded.

He stood once more before Goetia in all his former glory. He didn't need to glance at his tanned, tattooed hands or his flowing white and crimson robes to know his former human form was completely gone; Yet he was still Roman. As his long, white hair flickered gently with the aura of power that resonated from him, he understood he was still who he had learned to become… he just happened to be capable of doing far, far more.

His golden eyes stared at the silent and stunned Goetia, and he dared to smile. "It was no bluff… I am the King of Magic, Solomon. Goetia, I am the one who shall guide you to you-"

Any glint of Roman's optimism, that it could end any other way, vanished as Goetia rocketed towards him. Too shocked to act, Roman gasped for breath as Goetia grabbed him ruthlessly around the torso, then threw him into the ground at the base of the throne's ascent. Earth was sent flying as Roman coughed up blood, yet there was no time to spare. He felt Goetia's forging its prana at impossible speeds, and he had to act fast.

As naturally as before, Roman chanted a defensive spell faster than Merlin could ever dream of doing. The blue shield blossomed before him like a flower just in time to absorb the single hit. The magenta prana sphere didn't explode, but ground against the shield violently. It spun and shrieked, tearing cracks into the shield before finally imploding with a deafening shockwave. Rubble flew into the air, but Roman knew better than to sit still.

Incantations flew off his lips as Goetia hurdled toward him like a comet with its fist reared back.  **"You're far too late! You will die here, Solomon!"**

Roman grit his teeth and cursed; He just needed a single opening!

* * *

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ VIII ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

Sasaki sat cross-legged on the deck of the Queen Anne's Revenge and stared at the wounded Martha beside him. Her expression was calm and relaxed in her unconscious state, yet his concern over her injuries had vanished in a heartbeat. Steadily, with every pulse from the massive green magic circle spread across the deck, the vicious laceration across her stomach had knit itself closed. It had been mesmerizing to watch, just as it had been with his own injuries.

"Tayata Om Bekanze Bekanze Maha Bekanze Radza Samudgate Soha…"

The assassin turned his gaze once more to Anishka, who levitated a few centimeters off the ground at the very center of the magic circle. With eyes closed and her hands still folded in namaste prayer, her magic circuits hummed and glowed vibrantly with a neon green wherever her skin was exposed. Her lips continued to utter the words of her Mantra magecraft flawlessly as she kept her focus precise. With every utterance of the phrase, a new pulse of visibly manifested mana surged formed in the air around them and poured into their spiritual bodies.

The servants knew she had much more potent healing spells than the few ones she cast in battle. If those smaller ones had rivalled the Einzberns in potency, this one far surpassed them without any doubt. Across the deck, more than a dozen servants were being healed simultaneously at an astonishing rate. This was one of her greatest spells, passed down and maintained with every generation in her family for thousands of years.

"She's quite the magus," Sasaki mumbled through his lingering frustrations, and Rama chuckled behind him.

"This isn't even difficult for her! All this residual mana made it easy," he boasted, though his expression remained firm as he scanned the battlefields below. Rama had every reason to be proud of her; It was an immensely potent spell, even if it forced her to keep still and meditate. It was detrimental in combat without protection, but with so many servants, it became a priceless ability. It barely cost any of her own od from what he could detect.

More than that, he was just glad at how efficient it was. He was still fairly low on energy, but any injuries he sustained had recovered quickly. He flexed his hands in front of himself, and frowned as he gazed once more at the many fallen comrades. His eyes shot to the side of the ship as Shuten and Raikou appeared carrying Kintoki. The frustration in their eyes were matched by his own as they brought him towards the center.

In a flash, Dantes had appeared on the railing with Joan in his arms. Though she looked terrible as blood dripped from her injuries, he was surprised she was still awake. She grimaced angrily, and he could see the absolute fury the avengers held within leaking from her eyes; They poured from Dantes' own vision too as he gently put her down within the circle. She grimaced, winced, and growled angrily. "That damn beast…! Let me burn it! I want to let my flame-  **Ghh-!"**

"Stay still, Joan. I don't think you'll be getting that chance," Dantes warned with exasperated eyes, and Joan merely glared back at him.

In truth, Sasaki definitely wanted to give this beast a taste of his own blade. If his wounded friends wouldn't be able to, he'd just exact vengeance in their place and hope it was enough. He was just glad that they were definitely reinforcing the center once all the injured were recovered. Until then, he couldn't sit idly by.

Sasaki stood up and went to the railing with the intent to find one of Quetzalcoatl's vacant phantasmal beasts flying nearby. He was fit enough to help, so he'd just hasten their task by helping with the wounded. A bright beam of magenta light tore through the skies at the central isle and caught his attention. He and Rama stared cautiously towards the distant battle, as he caught small glimpses of a servant battling Goetia alone.

He prayed Roman and the others would hold on long enough for reinforcements to get there.

* * *

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ IX ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

Bright, explosive quasars of magenta light that erupted over the central isle failed to distract Medusa.

The flying rider was livid, even after the allied child Medea had done wonders in stabilizing her sisters' condition. Her Pegasus roared through the air and slammed straight through a demon pillar. It shrieked at the terrible wound the pass inflicted, yet it was not music to her ears. It just wasn't enough. Taking her anger out on these demon pillars did little to placate her own frustration, but only kept them from growing larger.

With unblindfolded eyes, she growled angrily as she scanned the battlefield below for any wounded who needed a taxi. Though she stared with scrutiny, the sight of her older sisters in such a critical condition dominated her mind. Blame, whether justified or not, was personally placed on her shoulders. She was supposed to be the one to protect them. Though her family insisted she be in the reserve as the masters suggested, she placed blame on no one else but herself for their injuries.

Her grip on the reigns was taut, and she made for yet another pass on the demon pillars in sight. How many strafes had she done between taxis? She lost count, but each one was a necessary vent to release the unbelievable tension in her body. Her current outlet was only by convenience, and she yearned to let it out on the true culprit of it all. If the seventy-two were the collective, and Goetia their leader, then to hear its own screams of torment would sate her monstrous cravings.

It was nearing the time. If what Drake said was true, Anishka should be calling for all capable servants to assist at the central island. Until then, all she could do was busy herself with these strafing runs; There were clearly no other wounded remaining after the ferrying servants picked up the Emiya family.

At her angle high in the sky, Medusa's mount turned into a comet. She should be saving her energy, but she had one or two more apples to spare.  _ **"Bellerophon!"**_

In a blink, she tore straight past the allied Ishtar, and sliced a massive hole in the side of a demon pillar that relocated itself to the island's perimeter. It wailed in torment as Medusa ended her mount's charge far lower in the skies than she planned; Her anger was starting to blind her a bit. She glanced over towards Ereshkigal, who had been forced to evade her charge on her own ghostly mount.

The shadowy, skeletal bird flapped its dusky wings rapidly to right its course as the lancer gazed her way. They shared a frustrated stare, but no words or apology were uttered; Everyone was stressed and aggravated, it was just to what extent they showed it. She nodded to her as a quick apology, and she nodded back.

With a small growl, she worked the reins of her steed and directed it to follow Ereshkigal's mount back to the battle. They'd descended beneath the rocky islands on their past, but it would be a quick trip to ge-

" _Medusa! Eresh!"_  the telepathic shout ransacked part of her anger and replaced it with surprise.  _"Hey! Help! Please! I need a ride!"_

Ereshkigal's mount came to a rapid halt with fluttering wings. The surprised lancer glanced back to her and called out, "Medusa! Did you hear that!?"

That voice… There was no mistaking it, but she was supposed to be…  _"…Gabby?"_

" _I'm under the islands! Look for my fire!"_  Medusa and Ereshkigal glanced around constantly. Flashes of light caught her attention, and she looked towards the central island hastily. From a rocky outcrop in its side, a stream of fire contrasted heavily against its blackened surroundings. Her mount zoomed towards the location, followed quickly by Ereshkigal, as the stream quickly died down.

" _You're alive!? You're alive!"_  Ereshkigal's telepathic voice cried out in shock, even as Medusa's eyes recognized the master's growing figure.

" _It's a long story! Please hurry! I barely know what's going on up there, and it's driving me nuts!"_

* * *

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ X ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

Goetia tossed a fleeting glance down towards the King of Heroes and Enkidu, who stood defensively at Gudao's sides. They, along with the other servants circling above them, who focused on his endlessly generating defensive measures, did not interfere; Not like they could. They were helpless before Goetia, and their attacks were meaningless. Yet they eyed him in expectation that Solomon would do something.

It would have concerned the collective… had it been only minutes before.

With delight, the beast brought its fist back and rammed it hard into the hastily raised translucent shield of that hated, dreadful king. He watched that accursed Solomon grunt before the momentum of the strike sent him hurdling towards the ground. A cloud of dust and rubble vented around his impact zone; He softened his own impact yet again. A wind spell had cushioned him, but Goetia anticipated that.

The beast came down like a meteor onto the still-raised shield. Its fists turned into a blurry bombardment of unfiltered ferocity as it smashed against Solomon's defenses. They were as strong as Goetia always knew them to be, but they were nothing before the combined might of the beast. With every punch, a crack formed within the shield. Barely three seconds, and the field shattered.

A movement incantation was already on his opponent's lips, and though he was faster than Merlin, Goetia was holding nothing back. The wind was swiftly knocked out of that hated king, and he flew backwards towards Mashu's shield. He slammed into the ground and vanished in a cloud of disturbed earth. It heard the master managed to yell with a cracked voice.  **"Roman!"**

As it spread its arms wide for the follow up attack, Goetia laughed. This… This was Solomon? This was what they were worried about the whole time? The visions had warned of their defeat at his hands, yet it had never shown why. The images were always scattered and difficult to interpret, so they just collectively agreed Solomon himself was the threat, and his appearance heralded their end. They acted diligently, and even unsuppressed some of their carefully withheld anger.

Yet, here was the King of Magic himself as a servant. He'd been hiding in Chaldea this entire time, and now that he showed himself, he was powerless… Weak. His spells, though quick, precise, and stronger than Merlin's own, barely kept him from succumbing to its onslaught. This was what they had been concerned of for so long, and it could do nothing but laugh at their own perceived paranoia. "This is all you've got, Solomon!? You're far too late, and far too helpless to prevent our journey!"

The eyes laced down its limbs opened fire. Enkidu and Gilgamesh barely had time to get Gudao out of harm's way as the storm of dense prana rampaged through the air. Another barrier was raised by Solomon, who stood before Mashu's shield defiantly. It glowed a bright yellow, resembled a swirling hurricane, and hummed like heavenly chimes until the first blasts slammed against it.

"Die, die,  **die!"**  The barrier flickered and flared with every hit, and Goetia unleashed dozens per second as it laughed. Not even Solomon could hold up against this onslaught, but it wouldn't end here. Having nested in its body, Goetia understood the limits of Solomon's spells. The barrier would crack with a few more seconds, and then his cycle of evasion would continue. However, enough time had already passed. It was finally time to end all of this.

Although, Goetia would admit these last few minutes had been a surprising present. They were even… fun, so to speak. It laughed with booming confidence. "Of course! All you ever could do was talk! Nothing more than words, you fool!"

It relented its attack, and allowed the beleaguered enemy a pause as his shield nearly shattered from the last impact. Goetia's laughter subsided as it growled. "You had us concerned, but our doubts were misplaced! Die again, Solomon! I shall give you your own noble phantasm as your requiem!"

* * *

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ XI ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

That familiar, foreboding sensation tugged at Roman's nerves, but he didn't budge. The ominous, eerie pitch rumbled from above as the tendrils began churning and twirling. The enormous weight of its sheer power weighed against his shoulders, and demanded he sink to his knees in despair. As the ravaged earth beneath him shook violently from the coming storm, Goetia seemed to bask in its victory.

Yet Roman would not budge. Even as he glanced to the dreaded lightbands, his mind was calmer than the surface of a lake at dawn. He knew of its apocalyptic power, but it had no hold or fear over him this time. His human body had been cast aside and exchanged for his original, and though he had been brutalized, he still stood. The only negativity that held any inch of his mind was the last disappointment that it had come down to this.

"Right… From the beginning, that's how it was supposed to be." Roman voiced evenly over the heavy, violent air. "I will disappear by my own noble phantasm… That is the fate of King Solomon after all."

Goetia's victorious presence seemed to flicker with some confusion. "…What?"

With eyes of tempered steel, he gazed firmly at the beast. "Goetia… I will tell you about my final magecraft. The third noble phantasm whose true name you didn't understand. No… It could not have been known to you."

As the air groaned with awaited devastation, Roman held his hands out before him. He levitated off the ground once more, and allowed ripples of golden prana to ripple beneath him like waves. Glimmering dust of brilliant, visualized mana danced in the air around him as his od went wild. The air around him shifted and churned with the sparkling dance that expanded from his core. Far into the sky, the dreadful pitch of the focusing lightbands was rivalled by the serene clinks of wind chimes.

Any pain from his ravaged spiritual body had vanished. Lingering numbness in his heart and body were replaced with perfect stillness. "With the ten rings united, it is possible to reenact that very moment… King Solomon's true first noble phantasm. The reenactment of the only human tale ever ascribed to me."

Like a lightbulb, it seemed to register with Goetia. That glimmer of confident victory that shined above the overwhelming pressure of building energy fell into disarray. It was replaced by outright confusion and disbelief as the beast's composure cracked. "…It can't be. No, there can be no such thing. No! A coward like you would never make such a choice!"

Roman merely lifted his hands to the air, but Goetia wasn't moving. If it needed to stay still as it channeled the lightbeams, then he had been blessed once more. The beast panicked, "Stop, stop, stop,  **stop**...! These rings, this omnipotent throne, if they belong only to you…!"

"Omnipotence is too much for humans, but the scope of what man can do is sufficient for my work," Roman voiced loudly into the air. "O' God, I return to you your divine blessings!

His eyes were closed as he held his arms beside him, oblivious to the brilliant lightshow that grew to encompass the central isle. Between the rumbling of the earth, the ominous groans of the sky, and the shower of glittering energy that flowed from the island, he felt the eyes of the world upon him once more. He floated gently in the sky as he felt the rings slip gently from his fingers. They levitated before him, and glittered like tiny galaxies even within the growing, golden maelstrom.

"The time of parting has come, he is the one who lets go of the world!" With a gentle smile like a peaceful meadow, Roman's voice reverberated through the air. The final words slipped quietly out of his mouth, but thundered across the singularity.  _ **"Ars Nova!"**_

The howl of the light that emanated from Roman could eclipse a supernova with its shine. It screeched and wailed, yet at the heart of the storm, he only felt bliss. It was a warm shelter like the gentle cocoon that cushioned a newborn in its mother's embrace. A feeling of liberation raced through his body, and drowned out the cataclysmic chain reaction that threatened to explode from around him. When they did, the singularity shook.

Spheres of amethyst light formed, but the explosion of golden prana from around Roman won the race. The shockwaves of brilliance fanned out across the singularity. Servants covered their eyes as the waves of energy cascaded through and over them, but reacted with confusion at the feeling of warmth and reassurance it presented. The pillars shrieked as the waves washed over them, and the lesser demons began to howl and fizzle when basked with its might.

The sickly tendrils that streaked across the lightbands ground to a halt. Their darkness was illuminated by the glow from the central isle, which looked akin to the sun itself. The ruined earth still shook, but the screeching pitch of the impending doom had vanished. The air, once thick with danger, sang like the endless fields of a promised paradise as the final golden waves washed from him. Roman allowed a tiny smile of victory as he felt himself land on the ground again.

"Why did you make such a choice!? Why did you reenact that!? Why, why- how could you make such a decision!?" Around him, the brilliant radiance remained thick in the air, even as Goetia cried out in sheer disbelief and anger. "You, who seemed to be the personification of all the indifference and compromise in the world!"

Within the brilliance of the light-basked isle, Roman couldn't help but feel satisfied at the sight before him. Goetia, the confident and controlled beast he first saw on Chaldea's screens, now looked vulnerable. It glared towards him, and he only smiled lightly at the first flickers of white dust that wafted off of it like steam. With his blurring vision, he knew that energy wafted off him too; He could feel it clearly.

He was growing weaker by the second. The act of returning the power to god wasn't just a show. If he were a servant and the masters knew of it, Ars Nova would have easily been among the banned Noble Phantasms in Chaldea. It was suicide to use, but there was no other choice. He had to gift them a future.

Roman was just satisfied it had been a choice for him to make, and he gladly took it after all he'd seen and understood.

"It's a strange story, Goetia... We saw things from the same viewpoint, we sat on the same throne, and we spent the same time. Nevertheless, Solomon reached a different conclusion than you did," he responded calmly even as he felt his body grow tired and weak. "If there was something different about us... it would be that. I had no freedom to be angry about it back then. That would be the deciding factor that divided us."

"Then this was who you really were!?" Goetia growled out, and Roman could see the whisking action affecting him far more than himself. It seemed to be under more pain and pressure with every passing moment.

"Roman…" Gudao's voice had been so weak and feeble, it sent one last pang of guilt into his heart. Roman turned around and glanced towards Gilgamesh and Enkidu, where the distraught master barely held himself upright between them. Had he run back towards him out of instinct? It seemed his companions let the distraught man do so if that was the case. If he'd been crushed before, then now… It was hard to even look at his tear-stained face.

He'd broken out of his frozen state, yet he'd only ice over again. "…What did… W-What did you d-do…?"

It hurt to voice the truth, but he would do it for Gudao's sake. He'd lied far too much to too many to lie again. Not wanting to leave on a sad note, he smiled gently to Gudao. "…I let go of everything that I owned. If this territory is the corpse of King Solomon, then it will collapse soon. Goetia with it."

"B-But… Y-You... Your b-body is…!" Gudao fumbled as Enkidu was forced to hold the master upright. For even Gilgamesh to pass the master a sympathetic glance was a sight to behold, yet spoke of the gravity of his condition. The master's sanity was over the edge, and his action would sever his grasp of the cliff. There had been no other choice, but Roman last concern remained with the stability of his crying friend before him.

"I'm sorry, Gudao… It's everything I owned, so… this body and this life will also disappear." He said it as evenly as he could, yet his voice almost shook seeing Gudao's anguish.

"It's not as simple as that!" Goetia seemed to roar with pain. Roman turned back around, and nearly smiled with relief on seeing the beast surrounded by the steam that now rolled off him like flames. "You have even abandoned being a Heroic Spirit! It is abandoning everything of your own existence! Everything King Solomon made has become worthless!"

Roman nodded simply. "The 'infinite time' of this time temple will be lost. The seventy-two pillars will no longer be a collective, but fall back apart into individual demon gods. I've put the nail in your coffin to preserve humanity's future."

"Yet you drove the nail in your own as well!" the beast countered. "The figure and deeds of King Solomon will never again appear on this earth! You should know that! That you will vanish even from the Throne of Heroes! My lightbands would have been gentler! You will reach  **nothingness!**  An ending that no one else in the entirety of mankind has reached…! The complete annihilation of your existence, and you did it with your own hands!"

Roman heard Gudao collapse behind him. Enkidu frantically held him upright, but Roman didn't turn to look. He didn't want to see the absolutely crushed expression he likely held. He didn't want to see him cry, for hearing the pained sobs and devastated noises was more than enough. He merely stared at Goetia and nodded slowly.

"…That is so. My life as a Heroic Spirit will vanish. It cannot be called death. From this point forward, Solomon will disappear from the Throne of Heroes. The agent of God will cease to exist again in human history... The true meaning of his complete disappearance is the end of the Age of the Gods."

Gudao's voiced hitched. "Y-You'll… You…! ...Die…?"

He nodded slowly again, and finally glanced back to the ruined master. "I'm sorry… It's scary and sad, but if it's something I can do… I should do it even if it's painful… This is fine. This choice is something you and Mashu taught me."

"…T-That's not… fair…!"

"It is. If there was another way, I would have chosen it, Gudao," he failed to reassure as his smile faltered. He turned back to Goetia, and let his smile fade to a disappointed frown. Even as his energy seeped and lulled him to close his eyes, he held firm and resolved. "With this, all premises have been collapsed... Goetia. Your immortality is now a thing of the past. You were a magic ritual compiled to watch over mankind, but instead you chose to take away their future. You have turned away from the responsibilities you shouldered. It is now time to pay for that sin!"

Even in its torment, the beast had more than enough energy to scoff and glare. "Duty!?  **Duty!?**  Is it my duty to watch over you, in all of our omnipotence!? What is interesting about watching over 'the life of a human' in the first place!? I have had enough of it! No matter how they disappear, there is only fear left in the end! The life of a human is nothing but a story of fear and despair! There is nothing fun about watching such a thing!"

"That is where you are wrong, Goetia! Did you refuse to look carefully when you glanced at Chaldea?" Roman reprimanded sharply through his own, painless fatigue. "It is true what we call life is something with an end. Life is a pilgrimage that accrues suffering, but it is absolutely not a tale of despair, death, and separation!"

He's seen it. He'd certainly seen every brief instant, and they were beautiful moments the flashing visions of clairvoyance could never truly comprehend. Through thick and thin, it inspired him in the end, and he wished for nothing more than to experience it all again. Being granted this second chance with a finite, regular life had awakened him to the truth he now understood. It was the beauty of mankind at its greatest.

"It's in humanity's hearts to be optimistic, yet scared of the unknown ahead," he began firmly, as he prayed and wished he would hold on long enough just to voice those last words. To his relief, fate itself seemed to listen. "Our confidence can blind us of the real danger until it's too late… Then we're reminded how weak we can be as we desperately search for a way out. But it's during the worst of times that we find we're capable of far more than any of us could have dreamed!"

Even speaking made him winded now, but he hadn't voiced it all. Everything he'd come to witness couldn't be described without doing it true justice, but he still certainly tried. "It inspires others to act, even if they hold doubts of their own! It leads to unbelievable cooperation, all to make the seemingly impossible possible! It gives us the courage to defy what is expected of us, and sometimes above and beyond what anyone would have asked of another!"

Everything he'd witnessed had not been false. Humanity's existence was brief in the grand scheme of the timeline, but it's what they chose to do in that time that would define beauty itself. He raised his voice proudly with a smile. "Though our emotions may run rampant and push us into irrational action, it often leads to surprising results! Because even in those single instants like the blinking of a star, our hands still write our promising story just a little longer... a story of love and hope!"

Roman, breathless and barely holding on, stared at the agonized Goetia, who had fallen to its knees. Maybe it heard, maybe it didn't. He glanced back at Gudao. The man stared back with teary eyes, and Roman was disappointed it didn't rouse his fiery spirit; He'd simply been through too much. Gilgamesh, on the other hand, smirked at him with approval as Enkidu offered an enthusiastic smile. He offered a small smile back, even as his eyelids felt so very heavy.

"It's… finally time…" Roman noted as he stared at his bare, tanned hands. He didn't know when he began to appear like a ghost, but he faded more with every second. He looked back at Gudao firmly, even as the master reached desperately towards him like a lost child. "Gudao… I will give you my last instructions as the acting dir… No… The  **Director**  of Chaldea. Completely achieve victory. You, Anishka, and the servants… must subjugate the beast who claims the title of the King of Magic…!"

"Doctor…!" Gudao yelled out as his hand desperately grasped the air before him. "No! N-Not you too…! Stay…! S-s-stay and see for your-s-self!"

"…I want to. I really do…"

He wanted to stay, but he'd made the mortal decision moments ago. He wanted to see all those wonderful, clairvoyance-granted glimpses he'd seen with his own eyes, but it would never come to pass. It was the end of the line for him, but he was content. As his body faded, he was satisfied with the decisions and experiences he'd been gifted… those countless, precious fragments of Chaldea he'd been allowed to witness.

"I'm sorry, Gudao… but I hope I can live on in your hearts." Though saddened by his friend's condition, Roman offered the most genuine smile he'd ever worn in his life. He didn't want his final memory to end on a sad note. Even so, he felt one lone tear race down his cheek; It seemed he had one more to flow freely after all. Still, he smiled gratefully and hopefully. "Thank you, all of you, for everything."

"R-Roman…!  **ROMAN! DON'T GO!"** Gudao cried out desperately as he flailed in Enkidu's grasp. His body felt lighter as it seemed to levitate into the air. He gazed from Gudao, then to the beautiful skies behind him. He caught the glimpse of approaching figures and smiled gently. His body was barely an outline of dust now, and he could not voice any further words, but everything would be alright. At the end of it all, there was not a sliver of despair in his heart.

His consciousness faded, and his vision swirled into a bright light as Gudao's last screams were consumed by a growing silence. Chimes twinkled in his ears, and the warm serenity around his was one of the last things he felt. The body dispersed into the swirling maelstrom of golden prana, yet he still felt the sensation of smiling. Satisfied and content with all that was and will be, a final vision flashed before Roman's perception disappeared.

The happy, tearful smiles of those he'd come to appreciate filled his vision, all to speak the gentle words his heart yearned to hear.


	8. Chapter 7: Grasping the Future

Though Anishka held firm in her meditation through the past few minutes' chaos, the surprising wave of harmonious energy had disrupted her spell. She had intended to help remedy the last remaining injuries among the servants, but Helena and Medea had that covered now. Since most of the wounded were now stable, that task was on a lower priority at the moment. With hands gripped to the wooden railing, she stood on the bow looking at the battlefield in front of the ship. The sight still baffled her.

Nearby at the railing, David and some other servants gazed down in equal confusion. The arrived allied servants, now dangerously low on their own magical energy, remained at a safe distance from their mutual enemies, ever wary the demon pillars would turn their attention to them. Instead, after the minute of total anarchy after the wave, when the allies were getting their bearings, some started to attack the others. One had even wanted to negotiate with them, but was quickly assaulted by a more fanatical pillar beside it.

It had been minutes, yet Anishka only had a vague understanding of why they turned against each other. She was happy it allowed the last wounded to be ferried without danger, but it pulled her concern towards the central isle. Whatever Roman had managed to do, it sent the enemy's coordination into total chaos, and even halted that horrifying attack from firing again. It'd been a minute or two, maybe even more, yet new information had been impossible to come by.

With Rama carefully observing the rampaging enemy before, Anishka looked through the mass of flapping sails towards the crow's nest. "Shri Sita! What do you see!? Are they okay!?"

"…I don't know! Goetia looks to be crippled… but…!" she yelled back. Her concern grew, and she saw David's attention snap from the ground to stare. Her eyes remained locked within the golden cloud, and though the master couldn't see her face, there was no mistaking the disbelief laced within. She gasped, and Anishka saw David's eyes fill with growing anxiety. "Roman is…!"

"He's what!?" David quickly shot back. Anishka had to wonder just how worried he'd been this entire time. She was only just informed Roman had been fighting Goetia, which likely weighed heavy on his nerves. Whatever Sita was going to say next, she hoped it wasn't as tragic as learning of Mashu's death.

…Perhaps Sita not answering was the best way to deliver the news.

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ Ω ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

_**Chapter 7:** _ **_Grasping the Future_ **

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ Ω ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

Anishka merely looked up at the archer, who kept one hand over her mouth. Her sad gaze then turned to the dispersing cloud of golden dust, before finally back to David. The archer's eyes, distraught yet firm, gazed towards the central isle. With every passing moment, the beautiful spectacle, akin to a rising sun, vanished into the air. He stood there silently staring as his grip on his cane fell slack.

"…You've gone, haven't you?" he spoke to no one, but Rama turned to him with a sympathetic frown.

She reached out her hand, but stopped herself as Rama walked over to place a hand on his shoulder. She wanted to do something for him. Her healer instincts and discipline urged her to action, but she didn't know what to do. The death of a loved one was a pain she didn't even know how to handle herself.

The passing seconds in silence were painful, but it must have been agonizing to him. She remembered that feeling so terribly. When her mother passed, and then having her father die within eye's reach… She knew what he was likely going through, but she didn't know what to do. As mighty of a healer as she was, she couldn't handle the bleeding heart. She could only gaze sadly at David as he gazed towards the central isle-

"Anishka!" Atalanta's urgent cry snagged her attention briefly. She stared towards the archer, who stood beside Blackbeard at the mizzen mast. Her gaze was also towards the central isle, but her perplexed expression drew her curiosity out. "Medusa and Ereshkigal are headed towards Goetia! Gabby's with them!"

"Gabby!?" she couldn't help but blurt out.

That shook nearly every able-bodied servant from their stupor as they raced to the railing. Soon enough, the archers talked over each other, but the message remained true; Gabrielle was alive. They pointed and many cheered, but she could barely make out the distant figures atop their unique mounts. Still, she sighed in relief, but tossed a worried look to David, whose eyes filled with growing optimism, and even denial.

"If Gabby is…" he mumbled quietly. As the seconds passed, his expression grew brighter. The small smile he grew only made her worry grow. "...Just like Merlin. Then Roman could…! Even Mashu!"

It pained her to hear that, even as hope grew within her too. It would be denial at worst, but even she wanted to hope. If Gabrielle was somehow alive, then maybe it wasn't just their emotions grasping for anything. Merlin likely saved Gabrielle, but then again, he wasn't alive when Roman- But he wasn't just Roman anymore. He was Solomon, King of Magic! Yes, certainly he could manage something like a grand illusion!

As she clutched desperately to growing hope and optimism, she looked around the idling, bewildered deck. If these demon pillars were now infighting, they had much more manpower to spare. There wouldn't need to be as many to help the exhausted allied servants, and Goetia was possibly vulnerable after Roman's powerful attack. This was their chance!

" _To all Chaldean servants! I need some of you to help escort the wounded to the Landing Zone! Discuss among yourselves who's best to stay!"_  She didn't even get the entire telepathic message out before Medea flew off of the ship like a rocket; There was no way she was going to even try stopping the enraged caster, but that's fine. She could manage the healing duties in her stead.  _"I need anyone willing and able to assist the central isle! Bring down Goetia!"_

As servants began swiftly debating, both telepathically and in person, she was shocked as David merely smiled and looked to her. "I'll assist you here, Annie. I know you'll have your hands full since Medea left."

She turned uncertainly towards the central isle, then back at him. "But Roman… Don't you want to go see-?"

He shook his head as Arturia's mount appeared on the deck and Sasaki hopped onto a passing, smaller quetzalcoatlus. Though he smiled, she saw how uncertain it was. The denial in his eyes mixed with sheer optimism. Her heart shook just seeing it, but he clearly believed… or maybe he didn't want to see and prove himself wrong. "I don't have any reason to doubt. Roman may have put on a brave face, but he's too chicken to risk his life completely. I'll just scold him for scaring me when we get back."

Upon seeing his state, perhaps it was for the best she didn't raise the point any further. It still hurt to see. "…I'm sure you will. Thank you for staying."

* * *

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ III ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

The Control Room was mostly silent save for hastily executed key strokes.

It almost felt strange not to be under heavy pressure and anxiety anymore. The Control Room had been a safe haven thanks to the servants. It helped those monsters also stopped appearing in Chaldea minutes before the barrier fell. The suspicious, yet relieving, calmness allowed Anton to finish his final checks within the facility, as ordered. All seemed well at this point… or as well as he could hope for it to be.

His concern and attention now rested with the singularity itself, even if all he could do was check data. Frankenstein kept a calm but cautious guard beside him as he glanced at the many monitors above. Everything seemed to be going well again, but the readings had indicated otherwise. The singularity's stability was degrading, and he was quickly trying to get an estimated time. He frowned at the ever-changing numbers and readings.

The lone working robot spoke first. "The structural integrity of the singularity is faltering at an increasing rate."

"Current estimate is thirty minutes until total collapse," he quickly added, then narrowed his eyes. "Erm… At best. The numbers are fluctuating."

"Keep me informed," Da Vinci responded flatly. The tone of her voice was so carefully constructed, it would be obvious to even the densest minds. Frankenstein shared a sad look with him, then they turned back to the… new Director of Chaldea.

It was hard just to think about, but it must be unfathomable for Da Vinci. Regardless, she stood at her post by the primary console and worked like the others. She'd maintained her composure, even if the cracks grew obvious in her façade. He'd heard the sniffles when Roman faded into the golden dust. He'd heard the mumbling, but he pretended not to hear; Only Shakespeare eagerly made noise in that silence with his frantic penmanship, but at least he remained deathly silent.

He was just glad the atmosphere in the room was lighter than it could have been. Sight of Gabrielle had done wonders to raise some moods; It had snapped Da Vinci out of her unnerving silence too. She'd been working steadily and dutifully after she was shaken from her turmoil.

Da Vinci's fingers waltzed across the board, and her focus shifted endlessly between the changing views on the monitors and her own readings. She busied herself in work, far more than he ever had seen before. He figured this was her way of coping, if not through the arts. Her strength and determination were admirable, for he didn't even know if he could react so steadfast if Frankenstein would ever… He won't think about that.

"Anishka. This is important," Da Vinci spoke firmly into the intercom. "The singularity may look stable, but it  _will_  collapse. We need to start evacuating as many as we can. We're not sure how much strain the Leyshift System can take in its damaged state."

"Just enough to get them all out," Tesla affirmed from his console, but Anton didn't like the scrutinizing and frustrated expression he aimed at the monitor.

"I understand. I've called for servants to help the masters, but I'll get the rest out at once!" Anishka's voice crackled over the line.

"I hope they beat Goetia in time…" Anton mumbled, and his fiancé nodded swiftly in agreement. It was up to the remaining servants, Gabrielle… and hopefully Gudao too.

* * *

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ IV ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

Gabby… Mashu… Now Roman too…

Those terrible truths merged and swirled with the sight of his tormented friends and… Just when Gudao thought he couldn't plummet any lower, the bedrock just seemed to open up beneath him. He didn't know if he was still flailing desperately towards Roman, or if he had finally fallen still. His sense of touch felt impossibly numb, and his eyes gazed forward without seeing anything. He felt like he floated in the silence of a blurry void, where vague shapes sometimes moved in his vision while others remained still.

He didn't know he remained collapsed on his knees, and stared in the rough direction of the shield.

The last of the golden dust dissipated from the air around them, and Enkidu was desperately trying to get his attention; His only response was silent tears that ran down his cheeks and an unyielding, devastated expression. Gilgamesh glanced in concern, but his attention remained focused on the still crumpled Goetia, whose body burned with the misty whisks of steam. It growled, and Gilgamesh's eyes narrowed, but Gudao noticed none of it.

Nothing registered in his mind anymore. Like a broken cassette, it replayed cracked and distorted images endlessly. So many precious moments he wanted to see and hold, contrasted with blinks of the undeniable truth. The pain flayed the raw wounds of his soul. He wanted his heart to stop if only so the unbearable pain would finally be numbed.

Over the endless void of silence, occasionally he'd hear one of their voices. The sweet summer chimes of Mashu's giggling as she cuddled herself closer to him in bed… The familiar city-like bustle of Gabrielle's teasing as they got into another little squabble… The spontaneous talk show bliss of Roman's quick stuttering as the master accused him of secretly eyeing Da Vinci again… One after the other, they grew louder from the once silent void.

Never again would he hear any of that. He was locked away in the prison of his mind, sundered and broken on rocky shores. The master had sailed so close to the promising cape, but was now shipwrecked. Though he couldn't sense anything in the numbness of his state, there was still one voice that cried out. One hopeful lighthouse on the horizon in the form of Roman's last words. They rattled the bards of his tormented cage, and demanded attention he wanted to give, yet couldn't.

A small slither of him wanted to act, but the fire wouldn't reignite. Doused by the endless rain of his emotions, he was helpless to do anything. For every passing raft that wanted to spur him to do something, anything, there was another wave to break it. The blurry sight before him moved and swayed. Nausea in his stomach remained firm, yet he couldn't throw up. He wanted to shiver from the coldness, but he was far too numb and lost in his mind.

"…Gudao…!" There it was again. One of the blissful sounds his heart wanted to hear, yet another lie in his mind. The sound failed to move him, but merely lashed at his fallen form. His mind didn't register the blurry, new shapes before him as new figures. He only continued to cry out silently for someone to help him.

"…No… Mashu no…!" Ereshkigal was barely holding her own tears at bay as she kept her hands clamped over her mouth. Her gaze shifted between Mashu's shield and the shattered master. Enkidu stared at the newly arrived Chaldeans with hopeful, relieved eyes as the orange-haired master placed her hands on Gudao. Medusa and Gilgamesh stood watch over Goetia, but Enkidu and Ereshkigal remained by the masters.

Gabrielle sniffled as she looked over her best friend, but he merely stared forward and breathed painfully light. Her voice was hasty and wild, "Gudao! It's me! Gabby!"

It barely registered. Past the curtain of pain and slow but constant tears, Gudao weakly noted the orange blur before him. The voices tore at his mind, and her real cries mixed with his own. He heard nothing, and saw nothing, but Gabrielle was frantically persistent. She gently grasped his shoulders and shook him. Tears were in her own eyes now, and the desperation in her voice leaked out. "Gudao, please! I'm here! I'm alive!"

His brutalized heart and mind, wanting desperately for something to grasp, heard it. Through the repeating sounds and sight of memories' past, her real words began to shine like a lighthouse. With every passing, desperate plea, his mind reached blindly towards it. It felt… different, yet tangible. It was a jarring curiosity and hope that was separate from the endless repeat of what never be again. His ransacked mind couldn't ignore the growing, vibrant sound that now echoed through him like a crystal stream.

"…Ga…by…?" he managed to mouth. His throat hurt from the dryness, and it came out like a whisper, but he had managed to voice it into the blurry scene.

"Yes! Yes!" the hysterical Gabrielle sniffled. "It's me! It's me, Gudao! I'm here!"

Though his vision was still a blur, he felt it. The small spark of hope was planted once more. Its warmth was a candle in an ice age, but it was growing. As he stared forward at the blurry scene, the cold grip on his body grew heavier and heavier, but it was no longer numb. It was but a small flame, but it grew with every passing word.

He grasped and pulled himself towards the lone beacon in his mind, and hoped it was true. "…Gabby…?"

* * *

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ V ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

…So this was pain immeasurable.

They were the seventy-two pillars, born from the twisted thoughts of humans… A collective of individual beings who obtained names and powers. They were transcendental, and were omnipotent since the very beginning. They knew, and what they didn't they sought to understand out of curiosity.

Yet, they finally experienced true pain without their gifted immortality, and it was immeasurable. It was unbearable. Crippled against the onslaught of torment, it had been a trying effort just to keep their thoughts in line. Though try as they might, the feeling of vulnerability was obvious. They were no longer the mighty collective, bound together as a whole and lorded over by a mere man. They were separated now, and Goetia felt isolation for the first time in eons.

Solomon… That merciless and incompetent king who could see everything and yet could save no one. That man who didn't see suffering and took everything too easily had moved to save humanity. Here, at the end of all things, he declared he was simply not free to act back then, and tore them asunder at the critical moment. He had been their undoing, just as the visions had warned. The omnipotence they held since birth had vanished, and the beast's power was slowly following.

With the collective's disbandment, the mutual bindings had been severed. Goetia's sway over the whole was gone. One by one, the withheld individual aspects of the pillars grew and amplified. It tried to placate them, to ensure their success still remained if they acted accordingly, but it was far too late for that. Crippled by overwhelming pain and the sudden knowledge of a finite existence, the pillars went wild. All Goetia could do was struggle against its own personal revelations as anarchy reigned supreme.

" _Barbatos, Paimon, and Buer have already ceased their activities. I shall fight them all alone."_

" _Sitri, Beleth, Leraje, have crossed the line of no recovery."_

" _Eligos, Caim, and I will continue engaging in discussions with the Heroic Spirits until the end. Control Center Goetia… We are abandoning all that you are."_

Though a few still stuck to their purpose, the rest came to different conclusions and acted as they pleased. The union was gone, and replaced only with the growing knowledge that an end was indeed approaching… but for them all. For every pillar that broke away from supporting it, Goetia grew weaker. Coupled with Solomon's last act, its capabilities fell further from the height they once all shared.

Until mere moments ago, Goetia did not know… It did not know the fear that causes one to cry for help. It did not know the weeping that caused one to plead not to take from them. It did not understand the regret, frustration, or wickedness that came with a finite existence… But now it did.

It was unbearable… Truly, unfathomably unbearable to know there was an end. For the first time, Goetia felt true fear rushing through its once invincible body. The fear of an end was crippling, and far more excruciating than anything they'd ever experienced. There was only so little time left…

And so, its thoughts trailed once more to that man that they all had deemed incompetent and incapable. That fool had felt these exact feelings, and yet overcame them? He surrendered his omnipotence, even knowing what would happen? He chose to commit an act far more damning than death itself of his own free will?

It was difficult to think he was a merciless, incompetent king any longer.

Ravaged by more thoughts, doubts, and anxiety than it truly understood how to deal with, Goetia remained on its hands and knees. It burned, both inside and out, as its power seeped further out of its grasp. Even so, crippled and weakening further with every passing second, it refused to give up. Calculations ran through its head, even as the fear of death hampered its thoughts.

The lightbands had failed to fire, and the arming sequence needed to be reinitiated. It would take longer this time… but it could be done. Even as Goetia let frustration freely well within, it could still fire the lightbands before the territory collapsed. It'd just have to act past the bristling pain first.

That's when they felt the answer. The sheer, unmitigated fury that had grown as Chaldea's successes mounted. They were an irritation when he finally sought to confront them in London, then grew to a menace after Tiamat fell. They ruined everything, when all their former collective sought was to free life itself from the pains that crippled them... these unfathomable, merciless pains they delivered onto it!

How… How could anything deal with this fear and anxiety and dare call it living!? Were they truly an insane species? The hatred, once held in check, grew like an inferno as Goetia let it boil. The heat it produced warmed the beast, and it felt strength bolster its motivation. It didn't quite understand it, but it didn't need to at the moment. Maybe there was time to analyze later, but it was fuel that would propel its actions.

Their plan could still succeed, but the most frustrating beings in existence needed to be wiped out.

* * *

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ VI ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

"Gudao! It's okay! W-We'll make things right! I promise!"

Gabrielle's tears slid down her cheeks as she stared at Gudao. Her desperation had grown impossibly high, and her heart threatened to burst, but she glimpsed hope within that terrible expression. This thousand-yard stare had been far worse than anytime she'd ever seen her best friend crying, but it was there. Her panic was only kept at bay by the growing fire in his eyes, as color seemed to return to his vision.

"…Gabby…?" Gudao spoke again, and it made her tears fly from her eyelids as she pulled him tightly into a hug. Enkidu and a teary eyed Ereshkigal stayed close as Gabrielle desperately embraced her oldest friend. A whimper escaped from her lips when he mumbled her name a fourth time. "…Gabby?"

"It's me, Gudao! I'm h-here! I'm alive!" In truth, not everything was. Roman and Fou were nowhere in sight, though her heart denied the truth. Enkidu had broken the terrible news about Mashu with his silent answer. She was in pain, but Gudao was far deeper; Yet they were in a battle, and she had to free him from his own binds. Her sobbing hitched when she felt his breathing intensify in her grasp, and she squeezed him tighter.

Around them, she heard the feint echo of different sounds as a few servants arrived, but she didn't know who. Only a small amount of relief seeped into her tense muscles, but it was still a welcome feeling; It was no longer just four servants protecting two crying masters. Goetia still seemed to be incapacitated, but she didn't know how long that would last. Her need to comfort Gudao remained strong as she gently rubbed his back in small circles. "I'm sorry, Gudao… I-I wanted to be here sooner!"

He had felt so cold and unmoving at first. His tiny movements gave her hope, and the hitching of his breath was a welcome improvement over the silence. She'd remain here until she was certain he was alright; That's what best friends were for. He needed her now more than ever, but she wished he didn't.

Mixed among her own anguish and stress, her anger boiled like an overfilled pot. She wanted to curl into a ball and let her anguish leak onto the ground, but she had to be strong. She wanted to punch Goetia into the ground herself, even if that stupid act would likely get her killed. How dare that beast… How dare it do this to the people she loved!

Her best friend was broken, Mashu was dead, and now Roman was also…! She wanted to yell out in rage as she held Gudao, and curse that beast for even thinking abou-

"…Gabby!" His voice was much louder this time, and she managed a tiny gasp as she felt him move. It was a light, shaky touch, but she felt one hand gently touch her side hesitantly. He obviously didn't know if he could believe it, yet she held firm. His other hand found its way to her back, and she smiled brighter when she felt his arms close tighter. It was a weak embrace, but it grew steadily as she rocked him gently. "Gabby…! I…I t-thought… y-you…!"

"I'm here, Gudao," she practically whispered as relief overpowered the unholy whirlpool of anxiety, anger, and despair. She found it easier to shelve her anger temporarily as his movements grew livelier. Her smile blossomed instinctively as Gudao tried to pull away gently; She let him, but they stayed in each other's arms. Her teary eyes met his stunned and devastated expression, but she kept her smile present. "It's me. No illusion... I'm alive."

He sniffled, and forcefully tried to wipe his anguish away. She would've chuckled at his attempt to hide it if she didn't feel so crushed herself. He looked at her, with a hopeful and glimmering light shining in his eyes again. He was far from okay, but she managed to pull him from his downward spiral. "…How?"

She took a few breaths to calm her own hitching breath, then smiled. "…I'd give Merlin a kiss if he didn't leave me alone under the island."

Gudao wiped the tears from his eyes again, but Gabrielle, Enkidu, and Ereshkigal lit up when they saw the tiniest hint of a smile on Gudao's lips. "…M-Merlin…"

With a tiny smile, she watched him take long breaths, and flex his fingers. He was regaining control of himself, and though she wanted to ensure he made a full recovery, a chill ran through the air. She felt a familiar pressure on her shoulders, but that ominous feeling wasn't as strong as she remembered it. Nevertheless, she turned cautiously to eye Goetia as it let out a growl.

Medusa and Gilgamesh had been joined by Medea to stand between the beast and them, but Enkidu and Ereshkigal remained close. The beast itself remained crumpled on the ground, but its tiny movements showed its defiance; It wasn't giving up. It was trying to get back on its feet, and it made her fists shake. She wanted this beast out of her sight, but its presence was still overwhelming. They would need more firepower, and the reassuring approach of several servant signatures was the answer she wanted.

As they came, she only made a passing glance at the many servants who arrived by different mounts or methods. Tamamo seemed to teleport in onto a nearby column while a few flying beasts dropped off some of their temporary riders. Gudao glanced around, then wiped his eyes again, "…Sorry."

"Don't apologize. That asshole is the one that should be doing it," she reassured as she glanced to him. "…We'll make things right. We'll kick his butt."

The growing number of arriving allies was a sight for sore eyes, and his nod was a swell of relief. "…Y-Yea. Things will be right… somehow…"

It hurt to hear the despair in his voice, but she caught it just over Heracles' impact on arrival. He landed within sight, and she could feel the absolute fury emanating from its form. It gripped its famous blade with shaking ferocity while Emiya hopped off his shoulder to trace his own choice weapons. Gilgamesh tossed them a frustrated, sidelong glance, and Emiya returned it. They stared with frustration, but said nothing before their attention swung back to the beast.

As Astolfo flew into position, Cursed Arm hopped off the Hippogriff's back to join Sasaki on the ground by a collapsed marble column. Dun Stallion swooped down from the skies and came into a controlled landing beside Emiya. Arturia's firm, stoic expression betrayed the anger that shined in her eyes. She barely made a glance next to her as Cu gracefully landed on the ground; His ride, Medb's chariot, landed near the masters soon after.

" **Gabby!"**  Medb cried out anxiously as she hopped off her ride. The master quickly stood up and smiled towards her as she ran. "I'm so glad you're okay!"

Scathach sighed with relief atop Medb's mount and smirked. "You're a tough master to kill."

Gabrielle couldn't help but let out a small giggle as Medb quickly hugged her before she could respond. "I just got lucky!"

Scathach leapt off the roof as the chariot began to dematerialize, and ran over to join the relieved queen. The Celtic rider swiftly broke apart and checked over the master's condition as the stream of servants seemed to reach its end. She took the opportunity to do her own dutiful checks.

Though the gathered Chaldean servants looked healthy enough, their visible condition was just a façade over the fatigue. With the exception of Gilgamesh and a handful of others, most of the servants were fairly low on magical energy. Still, the anger burning in all their eyes as she glanced around made it apparent; All of them wanted a piece of Goetia, and she couldn't blame them. If she could, she wanted a swing herself.

She glanced down at Gudao, but her eyes quickly rose; He wasn't crumpled on the ground anymore. She smiled in relief as she saw the master, still breathing deeply, but standing on his own strength. His gaze was a tornado of determination, spun by the winds of his torment and overflowing anger. It wasn't her favorite look on him, but it was far better than his previous state. He turned to look at her and wiped his eyes one last time. "…Thank you, Gabby."

"Always here for you," she quickly replied, then followed his gaze towards the enemy who did this to all of them. Scathach took up a fighting stance before the masters, followed quickly by Ereshkigal, Medb and Enkidu. Before them, a frontline had formed around Gilgamesh as the beast growled.

Goetia was finally moving beyond its aggravated, hunched-over state. Slowly, one foot dragged against the ground before it planted it securely. Its movements were jagged and pained, but grew with increasing purpose and might. Painfully slow but steady, it raised itself back to its full height as the central eye glared towards them. The white, wispy tendrils of steam drifted from its body as it growled towards them.

She practically growled back. As intimidating as this beast was, and knowing what it could do, she still glared. The lid on her anger popped off, and her fists shook anxiously. This beast was still ready to fight, and that possibly meant the lightbands could be fired. She hated it, and wanted its destruction right now without any more of its stupid, hidden tricks to interfere.

Gudao stared forward with narrowed, shaking eyes. His gaze rested not on the beast that finally stood to full height, but the discarded shield that marked Mashu's last stand. It remained behind the frontline of servants, and the longer he stared at it, the more his fists shook. Gabrielle was just glad it didn't crush him, but she knew that's the state that awaited both of them back in Chaldea. For now, their rage resolved both of them to their last job.

"Just say the word, masters," Arturia answered for the surrounding servants. "The singularity is collapsing. An hour at most."

"…So this is the true measure of you humans… That which we failed to measure." Goetia's voice was not as infallible or mighty as it had been, but it did not belittle its current strength. As the ebony, misty flame wicked away at it, the beast glared towards them. "All of this… just to live a few more days in your brief lives?"

The anger coming off of it was noticeable, but it only made her more furious. She growled back as it seethed, "…We will never see eye to eye with that which refuses its own promised salvation. Further words are pointless."

"Then let's stop the stupid talking. God knows you've done too much of it already!" she yelled furiously.

She turned to Gudao, whose eyes remained locked on the beast as they both trembled with barely contained rage. She let him give the order.

"Finish this."

* * *

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ VII ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

"That beast still has a lot of fight in it!" Rama growled from the railing of the Queen Anne's revenge.

After she made a final injury check on the awake and grieving Lancelot, Anishka quickly hurried over to the railing as magic circles, the most that the beast had ever summoned, appeared around the central isle. Sita drew her legendary bow back quickly and prepared a shot, followed the other ranged fighters aboard the ship. Blackbeard stood at the bow, and motioned with his hand to pivot several of his remaining cannons.

Her initial fears shifted from their retreating groups to those at the central isle. The runic stones, several hundred in number and growing, appeared, but their casting surfaces faced the opposite direction: Goetia planned to bombard the central isle completely. Anishka did not hesitate under the newfound pressure,  _"Any ranged servants! Open fire! Support the central force!"_

The strum of Tristan's unique weapon, along with a small grunt from the archer, were the first notes of their concert. An ethereal arrow flew through the air, chased by a fiery bolt of hastily forged prana by Helena. Further away, the first of Drake's ships opened up with their own cannons. The stream of incoming fire tore through the air to aid the servants at the center who tried to break the siege.

She could see Ozymandias' barge float higher above the central isle to help Ishtar and Iskandar assault the summoned pylons. A swing of King Hassan's midnight blade culled several from the air while Quetzalcoatl's personal mount rammed right through another. Others from the central force joined in as more magic circles grew. Anishka grit her teeth with frustration; The beast still had this much strength, even after Roman-

The master glanced towards David, who still busied himself tending to some wounded. His gaze remained away from the central isle, with his back to her. She didn't know what kind of expression he made as he tried to help Jekyll. He should be at the central isle to see but… He'd been so hopeful that…

She sighed, but moved over to assist with the wounded.  _"Please keep up the pressure, everyone!"_

* * *

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ VIII ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

Goetia's movement felt sluggish. The incantation casting had been slower than calculated. The energy demands were far higher than they should be. Its performance was below acceptable, but it was all that it could muster as it raged against the Chaldeans before it. To make matters worse, its strength and capabilities only continued to degrade with every passing moment. Solomon had left his mark, and the angry beast felt it constantly.

With a handful of densely forged prana, manipulated into an unstable sphere, Goetia feigned a move to hurl it at the flying Medea. The caster growled angrily, and stopped forming her own arcane bombardment to actively dodge. It instead redirected the blast towards Enkidu, who was midair with Gudao in his grasp. The lancer's eyes widened as the ball of magenta chaos detonated from the beast's hand like a beam from Excalibur.

Enkidu, midair and on a direct collision with the beam, quickly threw Gudao towards the flying Ereshkigal. The Mistress of the Underworld caught the master as she flew past on her mount, but she gasped in horror as Enkidu's left arm vanished into the torrent of energy.  **"Enkidu!"**

Gudao's battlesuit flashed with an activated spell, and the master winced in Ereshkigal's grip. Enkidu vanished from the beam, and appeared safely on the ground, though much of his left side was missing. The singed remains quickly glowed a vibrant green, and the earth itself glowed beneath his feet. Instantly, Enkidu's body began to rebuild its missing parts as the green-haired lancer glared at Goeti-

" **You've gone too far, Mongrel!"**  Gilgamesh's outraged roar snapped the beast out of its own frustration. It turned just in time to see an absolute wall of golden weapons slam into its hardened body. Blow for blow, the weapons shattered against the beast's still mighty defenses, but it was no longer impenetrable. With shattering golden axe, sword, or polearm, Goetia grunted at the recoil.

"Trace on!" It barely heard the cry as the bombardment of golden weapons was joined by their counterparts from the other side. Forged copies, identical in number, slammed against its backside. The grating sound of breaking metal deafened it; Goetia couldn't hear the roar of Medea's conjured magic circles as they rained down from the skies like pure sunlight on a cloudless day. Every impact was a dull throb against its hardened body, which was far more than they could ever do before.

Goetia couldn't even absorb the spells or nullify the endless stream of weapons that forged an iron maiden around it.

Handling just the several servants assaulting it was problematic. The endlessly conjuring defensive pylons did wonders to take the vast majority's attention elsewhere, but the few that assailed it were relentless. It didn't get its opening. The masters were always out of arm's reach, especially with their bodyguarding servants constantly relocating them. This battle was an irritation, but giving up was not acceptable.

Blinded by the endless onslaught, it first needed to break out of the constricting attacks. Prana was hastily forged within its core, before it blossomed outward like a shockwave. The incoming waves of swords were thrown away, which left only the irritating hail from above. With a quick incantation, it teleported to the first spot of open ground it spotted. In a blink, it was out from under the deafening bombardment, but there was no room to breathe.

Aquamarine magic circles appeared at its finger tips as it scanned for the masters. Medb's chariot slalomed through the pylons overhead, and it caught sight of Gabrielle. It directed both of the circle to aim at them before it shattered with its activation. The shrieking winds of the violent tornadoes hurled through the air, lacerating any pylon in its way. The chariot, right in the path of the lacerating vortexes, would be ripped to shreds before it coul-

" _ **BELLEROPHON!"**_ Goetia roared incredulously as Medusa's mount slammed hard into its back. The phantasmal beast neighed loudly as it rammed the beast, face first, across the ground like a plow. It carved the ruined earth until it came to a stop at a ruined wall. The twin spells the beast fired had dissipated thanks to Medusa's charge, and the violent winds lost their remaining energy as they hurdled towards the chariot.

By the time they reached it, they barely shook the mount. Gabrielle and Medb sighed in relief.

Medusa, eyes flaring with anger, pulled the reigns of her mount, and it took to the air swiftly. An incoming burst of malevolent prana from a defensive pylon missed the mount and slammed into the downed Goetia's back. The beast roared in frustration as it forced itself to its feet quickly. It had felt the force of that attack, though its healing properties quickly took care of that issue. It signaled its defenses only continued to plummet.

Anger swelled within. Any fears it would lead to rash and unreasonable decisions and create vulnerabilities were cast aside; It didn't care anymore. Their plans had fallen so far. It jumped into the air quickly, and soared towards the evading masters. Medb and Ereshkigal eyed Goetia as it stretched out its arms wide, and the multitude of eyes along their lengths flashed to unleash its rage-

" _ **RHONGOMYNIAD!"**_  It howled in fury once more as Dun Stallion slammed into its flank; It still felt the throb of pain in its side, and the pang of fear for feeling actual agony again. The horse and its rider, wreathed in golden light, galloped quickly away as the beast unleashed the hailstorm of magenta projectiles into the air. It didn't care what it hit anymore; It just wanted to hit! It just wanted to lash out at these persistent humans who didn't know when to concede!

The beast, alone and without proper support, stabilized itself with a quick spell and watched as the storm of unleashed bolts sent any servant in its path into evasive action. A bolt slammed into the side of Medb's chariot, and it laughed as it clipped the wing of Ereshkigal's dusky mount. They hurdled towards the ground as the storm continued, but Tamamo and Nitocris bought them time. Shadowy and sakura-flower-shaped shields formed to disrupt incoming bolts… Had the beast been at its former apex, those barriers would have shattered easily.

Ruined earth and defensive pylon alike were sundered and broken by its stray fire, but its focus remained on the masters while Medea resumed her bombardment on it. It growled as Ereshkigal and Medb's mounts were caught by a golden net, forged quickly by Enkidu. There was no time for a proper follow up attack, but with a burst of prana, it made for a hasty one. The beast soared down towards them, with fists balled back and glowing with unstable, magenta auras.

Iskandar's chariot flew into view from the side, and readied a charge; Goetia anticipated an interception. With another incantation, it doubled its velocity, and caused it to miss. Its focus remained on Gudao, who stared back not with fear, but anger. There wasn't even an ounce of fear in the master's eyes, but it could see the lingering anguish… the very torment they only wanted to end with their journey! It reached its arms back to strike at the master.

The attacks never landed, and Enkidu didn't have to do anything further. Filled with rage, the beast growled as a giant golden portal opened up on the ground in its path. A massive onyx weapon, more akin to a tower than a sword, burst from the portal. Ig-alima's silver, relentless edge slammed into Goetia's torso, but did not cut through. It sent the beast back skyward, and it banged its fits in anger onto the massive weapon.

Every strike cracked it surface as the metal bent with each hit, but its ascent stopped. The beast's momentum sent it higher, though it spun appropriately to reorient itself. Goetia found itself looking to the lightbands, where the sickly tendrils groaned in their attempts to move. Its activation time grew longer with every passing second. By its quick calculations, unless he managed to focus its dwindling energy and activate it in the next minute, it won't fire in time… all thanks to its ever-degrading capabilities.

It had little time to fume over the realization as it spun to meet the closest servant, who leapt from stone to stone with practiced ease. Cu's red eyes were focused fury, as his blurry form darted from one pylon to the next to gain a better position. He moved further and further to its right, but it caught the glimpse on the left. Though losing strength and agility at a rapid pace, it still managed to evade Medusa's next charge. It even held its arm out and grabbed the offending rider from her mount.

Blood was quickly coughed up from the force of the impact, yet she glared angrily at Goetia as her mystic eyes locked onto him. The sheer force of its activation washed over the beast, and it could feel its movements turning even more listless; It needed every ounce it could get! Without delay, it hurled the rider towards the ground to free itself from the attack, and turned back to search fo-

" _ **GAE BOLG!"**_  Medusa had given the Celtic legend the opening he needed, but the beast was struck from behind. It felt it before it could turn. The demonic spear and its weakening state combined; The spear managed to pierce its hardened body, yet it would find no heart. The beast was no ordinary existence, but a ritual taken form. It had no vitals, but it existed and sensed like any other…

…and so it felt. The thorns of the deadly lance blossomed within the pierced point, and ravaged its being. Chilling and angering, the deadly spear's attack served more as an irritating reminder of how vulnerable it grew. Pain... Actual, tangible pain blossomed from its newest wound, and it flailed in the air to wrench the lancer off of it. Cu, surprised yet infuriated, pulled his lance free and leapt free from the back of the beast as the wound struggled to heal itself.

Goetia turned around to pursue… only to find itself hurdling toward the ruined earth by Heracles.

The enraged berserker roared as he slammed into the ground atop the larger beast. Goetia attempted to get up, but the legendary Greek's vicious swing forced it into the ground with every hit. Each hit lacerated its backside, and it burned with every strike. Hit after hit, Heracles unleashed his strength as the wounds suddenly grew more painful. Was the berserker using a noble phantasm? It didn't need an answer; Goetia cast a new spell and quickly teleported from the danger.

Upon reappearing, it formed its two hands together and channeled a maelstrom of prana between its hands. It sent it hurdling forward as a magenta beam of destruction. Servants dove out of the way as it ravaged ruined ground in its wake; Goetia missed, and allowed Heracles to charge right up to it again, but it was prepared as the cuts on its body fizzled with slow regeneration. The berserker raised his fearsome axe-sword, just as Goetia raised its fits.

Blow for blow, Heracles' swings were matched by the beast's furious, rapid punches. The two were blurs across the field as Goetia tried to disengage to find the prime targets, but Heracles didn't let up. Swing for swing, it kept Goetia disoriented as it roared. They danced like forces of nature, and the earth was sewn with destruction as their waltz continued… but Goetia constantly grew weaker. Just minutes before, it should have been outpacing the berserker.

Strike for strike, Heracles' hits were starting register in its arms. They rattled and groaned with aching pain as the wound from Gae Bolg throbbed. Every time they tried to mouth an incantation to break free, Heracles' onslaught forced it to counter a new, unexpected angle. The maddened hero was merciless, but the beast was infuriated. It sought a way out before others could join, and chased the closing window of victory.

But what was victory anymore? The lightbands could not arm. It's journey could not begin.

All it could do now was ensure as many of them as possible paid for their actions. Yet, it was strangely satisfied with that. As it allowed its rage to flow unencumbered that they, in their former omnipotence, could be outmaneuvered so easily, it merely recognized that questionable thought as an acceptable outcome.

And so, they continued to fight even as their strength waned further. Hastily readied, the beast took one of Heracles' strikes on purpose as it held its arms out. The berserker, sensing danger, immediately leapt out of the way before the storm tore through the air. Even if the masters remained the ideal targets, it sought anyone now. Anything in its way must be crushed within the limited time it had.

The fear mounted, yet Goetia fought. It backhanded Siegfried out of the way as he tried to charge for a perceived opening, then turned its attention to a more opportune target. In a blink, it burst away from Heracles' charge to reappear before Cursed Arm. The assassin, caught in open, even ground, would have no room to maneuver. It was weak among the present servants, and would serve as a fine reminder that Goetia was far from out of the fight.

But the assassin infuriated the beast, because he didn't run. He didn't even fall on the first, powerful hit that it nimbly dodged. In a blink, Goetia's fist slammed into the ground, but Cursed Arm had flipped onto the beast's shoulder with surprising grace. It dared to stare at him silently, and the beast roared with growing pain and aggravation. It didn't help Medea threaded countless needle with precision-fired lightning bolts, which slammed into the beast at different angles to help the assassin evade.

It slashed at its shoulder, but Cursed Arm was on the ground again. It formed a quick magic circle and incinerated the ground around it, but the assassin had somersaulted through the gap in the beast's fiery antlers. Every strike, spell, and slash, sent with unyielding speed, failed to connect when they should have. The assassin, with his noble phantasm useless against the beast and no other means of a sturdy attack, only nimbly evaded every attempt it made to fight back.

They were at a stalemate when they shouldn't have been, and it was a firm reminder of how far the beast fell.

What felt like agonizing minutes ended when Cursed Arm finally disappeared from sight. A burst of prana drew its attention nearby, but it was blinded by an array of golden portals that hurled their contents at him. The beast swung its arm wide, and smashed half of the weapons from the air. As others made contact, they sliced into its form, and caused it to flinch at the still unfamiliar sensation of pain. Every bought second granted Arturia the opening to close the gap with Excalibur.

Goetia barely managed to dodge the slice to its head, and the blade severed a few of the branches on its head. Arturia twirled in the air to bring her blade back around for another strike, but the beast wouldn't let it. Even as its wounds regenerated, far slower than acceptable for the pace of the battle, it threw a lightning-clad fist towards Arturia. With a quick release of invisible air, she forced herself away from Goetia, but it raised its hand and formed another magic circle.

Too slow… the activation times were too slow now! The spells to freeze the servants within range were taking seconds just to form. It could hear the garble of telepathic messages, but it could no longer make them out. The beast couldn't anticipate their actions as well as before.

It failed to see Medea swoop down before the activating spell with her jagged, iridescent dagger at the ready.  _ **"RULE BREAKER!"**_

The circle before it, in the struggle between it forcing it to form and the noble phantasm's deconstructive properties, exploded. Medea was sent hurdling backwards, but was caught by Cursed Arm. Goetia skidded against the ground as its skin felt scorched from the detonation. It growled, and spread its arms wide to counterattack. The eyes molded prana gradually, and prepared to send the relentless volley towards the charging Arturia, Cu, and Emiy-

" _ **TSUBAME GAESHI!"**_  In its angered focus on the foes before it, Goetia did not sense Kojiro get into position from behind. Even so, with all the agility it could muster, it managed a last-minute dodge… or an attempt to. Three flashes, overlapping and simultaneous, landed on the beast. At once, a leg was cut deeply, the torso's side lacerated, and its right hand severed. The sheer pain from the strike was unfathomable, and the beast roared with the new knowledge of such a vicious wound.

" **YOU-!"**  Rage like it never knew mixed with the overwhelming pain, but it still moved. Blue blood poured from the first time as the wounds tried to restore themselves, but the process was slow and agonizing. The beast didn't finish its sentence as it quickly pivoted and unleashed whatever charge it held in its remaining arm. Sasaki, within point blank range of the attack, grit his teeth in panic, but was gone in a blink. The magenta storm tore up the area before Goetia, yet he was long gone.

Now lightly held in the talons of Astofo's Hippogriff as it blinked away from the danger, the assassin sighed. "You have my thanks."

"Sure, sure! That was a great hit!" Astoflo cheered as it gazed back at the raging beast. "I don't think it'll last much longer!"

The beasts doubts grew. Its fears crept further onto its controlled, calculated psyche. Rage erupted from every blindingly fast punch or block to keep the assaulting servants at bay. It now taxed its energy just to fight three at once, yet more circled like hungry vultures looking for an opportunity to attack.

It backhanded a strike from Excalibur, but it sliced into its massive arm. Heracles swung for a decapitating strike, but it ducked in time; The beast could not avoid the twin, spinning blades that embedded themselves into its central eye. It roared and swung wildly, which forced Cu and Emiya to dodge backwards, but did nothing to deter Medusa. The rider dove through the beast's legs to search for a new opening.

It could only hear so many of the garbled messages they sent each other. Its all-knowing eyes were shut, and it healed at a snail's pace now. Cleopatra swung in for a strike against the side of its head, but it couldn't have predicted it. A precision fired, golden halberd impaled itself into its leg, but it couldn't have prevented it. Altera managed to land a vicious stab into its right thigh. The battle was a chaotic blur, and the pain and anger reached newfound levels because of its rampant anxiety.

It grew so weak. The defensive pylons, which were a simple asset to forge, could only be conjured a few at a time now and were no longer a distraction. It could barely sense the deaths of the last, distant pillars as they screamed and shrieked into the collapsing singularity. Emotion like it never felt drove it further into rampant and wild action.

This was it… This was the true, crippling fear of death Goetia finally felt.

* * *

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ IX ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

Gudao stood on a collapsed, ruined column, beside several guarding servants and his best friend. Gabrielle had been right. Watching Goetia slowly succumb to the assault had made him feel better, if a slither counted for anything. The loss of Roman and Mashu still balanced terribly on his exhausted form, and he wanted nothing more than to collapse into a heap again. Be that as it may, his anger kept him standing and staring at the beast.

Ereshkigal kept a dutiful watch beside him with Enkidu. Gabrielle had Medb and Scathach as her own, and behind them stood the ever silent and mighty King Hassan. The former grand had just finished raising the last of the defensive pylons, but it perceived no need to join the fight. It merely watched, like he did, as Goetia seemed to flail wildly as several servants danced around it -

As Ozymandias rained a new volley of sun beams onto the beast, it suddenly roared violently. A shockwave of dense prana surged from the beast, and the howling winds that came with it made Gudao growl and wince with aggravation; The beast wasn't giving up. But it was desperate.

Countless magic circles formed on the ground at random locations. They were blind incantations, but still very dangerous. The servants pulled the masters away from a nearby circle, which quickly exploded into a column of flames. Another nearby erupted like an electric storm and singed anything nearby. Tamamo yelped as other spells activated in the air; The nearest to her exploded into a shower of sharp hail that had sliced into her side.

Enkidu held on tightly to Gudao as they maneuvered through the obstacle course. Gudao kept his angry gaze at Goetia while it conducted its uncoordinated orchestra. It lashed out with its energy wildly, yet most activated around it blindly. Its injuries were apparent, and its regeneration seems to have stopped completely. Still, it raged and threw whatever it could to hit their strike force.

He hadn't tried to count how long they evaded for, but the storm finally cleared. As the beast's attacks had come to an eerie stop, the smoke and haze dispersed. Goetia had vanished from the devastated earth it ravaged, but it was hard to find; Its presence was so weak now. As Enkidu landed thoughtfully and put Gudao on the ground, the master felt horror run through his system as Enkidu spun around swiftly.

Had its wild act to give it breathing room been a final ploy? The beast had teleported behind them, and with an outreached hand, swiftly formed a magic circle. Before Enkidu could act, the lancer was teleported away. A circle in his other hand activated, and Ereshkigal, who had leapt towards them, was also shunted out of arm's reach. Gudao didn't see them reappear within the central isle, but the beast was too weakened to shunt them further.

Like slow motion, he saw Goetia hastily raise its arm to pummel the master. The beast had no further words as it glared at him, but even with a panicked mind, the master glared back. Gabrielle screamed in the distance, but Gudao's mind worked frantically for an answer. His thoughts weren't as clear as they should have been as his wild emotions seized the reigns of action.

Impulsive opportunity was behind Goetia's hulking, damaged form. Mashu's shield had been toppled by the recent assault, but rested among a pile of rubble behind the beast. Gudao's mind jumped on instinct, and he quickly activated his mystic code's built-in spell. With a blink, he was behind the beast; He switched with a ruined piece of column so he could reach the shield.

Goetia's fist rammed down onto the ruined earth, sending debris flying, but Gudao had tumbled onto the shield and hastily raised it. His arms groaned from the effort, but it was better than the sharp wounds of shrapnel. Not wasting further time, he stood to his feet with the heavy shield grasped in his hand. He looked up as Goetia raised its other fist, yet he looked differently in Gudao's raging, frustrated mind.

Without any doubt, Goetia seemed more like a bully at this point than an impossible wall. Its presence had diminished. Its movements were horribly sluggish. The wounds weren't even healing anymore. Resentful and still dangling in tragedy's torment, Gudao's thoughts remained far more erratic than they should be. He didn't care as he acted recklessly. This beast had been gunning for him and Gabrielle whenever it could… then so be it!

Several servants gasped in shock as Gudao's last command seal fired, but it didn't envelop any of them; The released prana surged around  _him_. His groaning, weakened muscles were refreshed like a dip in a hot spring. He didn't know if it would have worked or not, but Lord El-Melloi II did theorize it was possible for masters to use the command seals themselves. Chaldea's seals were more like extra mana reserves than a traditional grail war's variation.

The theory proved as correct as he could hope at the moment. Goetia's hammer fist slammed against Mashu's shield, and Gudao had to gasp in shock. He resisted the attack, but it also felt far less painful than it actually did. Maybe it was the adrenaline. Maybe it was all the command seal as he prayed for it to give him the power to fight this weakened beast. Whatever the case may be, a surge of confidence and reckless impulse flared through him.

"You want to fight me!?  **FINE! LET'S FIGHT!"**  Gudao roared as Goetia retracted its fists. With one hand grasping Mashu's shield, he slammed his other onto the ground.  **"Erdbeben!"**

Gudao's spell activated far faster than he anticipated. The ruined ground between Goetia shook and crumbled as its integrity was compromised with countless, tiny cracks. The beast, visibly stunned by Gudao's actions, could only stare at the master as he quickly reinforced his legs. With a burst of speed, he leapt at Goetia, then slammed Mashu's shield right into the glaring eye. Completely off balance, the beast tumbled backwards and slammed into the ground.

Yet Gudao wasn't through. His few magic circuits hummed with warm energy, but they burned a bright blue on the back of his hands. His capabilities weren't spectacular, and Gabrielle was always the better magus in combat. That didn't stop his newfound confidence after seeing what a command spell's energy surge could do for him. As Goetia quickly staggered to its feet, Gudao eyed the several approaching servants and roared out a telepathic command,  _"No! I want this!"_

" _What!? Don't be reckless, Gudao!"_  Emiya chastised telepathically, but it was far too late for that. Gudao had destabilized the ground beneath Goetia's feet again, but the beast handled it better this time. It didn't stop the master's charge as his circuits flared with building heat.  **"Turm!"**

The ground beneath his feet groaned into motion. Basic earth manipulation was all he was capable of doing, but that's all he needed from it. The tower pushed him above Goetia's kick, and it shattered with the strike. Gudao brought the shield behind him, then roared angrily as he slammed it against Goetia's punch. The impact thundered through his bones painfully, but he wasn't sent flying back. It left him vulnerable as Goetia lifted its other fis-

" _Don't be so stupid, Gudork!"_  There was another surge of released energy somewhere nearby, but he didn't know who it was from until a familiar, blue fireball slammed into Goetia's head. The beast growled as Gudao dropped to the ground, then swiftly jumped far back. He landed right beside Gabrielle, whose own magic circuits flared with energy; Her last command seal was missing.

She glared at him, but smirked. "If you're going to be dumb, we're doing it  _together!_  I want a piece of him too!"

"Thy enemy rests within death's embrace," King Hassan's voice rumbled through the air as it watched beside Enkidu and Ereshkigal. "Our contractors can finish this."

Iskandar laughed from far above as Lord El-Melloi II blanched beside him. "What!? No! That's too dangerous!"

They didn't listen. Goetia was weak, and it was obvious they both knew. He nodded to his best friend, and they charged it together. The beast held up its hand, and formed a magic circle. Cu crouched down to bolt to them, but Scathach raised her hand to stop him. He stared at her incredulously, but stared with more disbelief as the gout of fire that erupted from Goetia's attack was parted by Mashu's shield.

Goetia roared incredulously. "We've waited for millenia! We, who were omnipotent and dedicated to our task! Yet you still managed all this!?"

The column of flame subsided, and Gabrielle was quick to act. She leapt up and used Gudao's back like a springboard. She pulled an arm behind her, and a magic circle appeared before it. With a yell, she swung it forward towards Goetia's head. The circle activated, and an explosion of flames surged from circle and slammed into the beast's head. It bellowed with fury as Gabrielle hissed, "Shut up and take your own medicine, asshole!"

As she fell to the ground, Gudao rushed forward. He braced the shield above him like a platform, and it allowed Gabrielle to land and quickly jump back. He pushed forward, and his battlesuit flared with another built-in spell's activation. His muscles burned, yet it felt incredible as the power boost surged through him. He leapt up, and rammed Goetia, shield first, like a runaway truck. The beast was sent staggering backwards.

"Impossible! None of this should have happened" the beast roared. "I saw everything! I was immortal! I was omnipotent!"

Gabrielle rushed past like a blur as her own body glowed a vibrant red. The ground cracked as she leapt into the air. Goetia threw a punch at her, but with trained ease thanks to Scathach, she extended her hands and flipped over the now sluggish attack. She tumbled into the air before one leg was engulfed in flame: her flames. Barely a second after ignition, she swung it like a pendulum into Goetia's outstretched arm. It slammed it into the beast's head a moment later.

Staggering, Goetia still threw a punch towards Gabrielle as she fell. "What are you compared to a beast of calamity!?"

She blinked, and suddenly she was replaced with Gudao. The master yelled as he swung Mashu's shield forward to stop the punch. His muscles groaned in protest, and his body ached with growing pain. His magic circuits burned like a hand atop a lit stove, but his anger roared brighter. "Still standing!"

As he fell to the ground, he quickly burst off of it to thrust the shield into Goetia's head. The beast growled angrily as the shield cut into its flesh and drew sickly, blue blood from within. It lashed out wildly as Gudao kicked off his chest to gain distance, which gave Gabrielle her window. Several blue shafts of fire, like lightning bolts, slammed into Goetia's newly opened wound.

From then on, they were a tag team blur. One after the other, Gabrielle and Gudao would take turns getting a swing at Goetia as they pushed the beast further and further back towards the throne's ascent. Its counterattacks grew weaker. The fight turned one sided, even as the masters' own energy fell rapidly. Yet for every punch, shield slam, and spell they sent at Goetia, the more pitiful it grew.

The servants merely stood and watched. Even Gudao could tell the beast amounted to nothing at this point. Still, he poured his emotions into every strike, even if his body suffered the recoil. Mashu and Roman weren't coming back, and it was all this beast's fault. It would be only brief satisfaction, but he'd milk it for all it was. Yet, time was ticking, and it became more apparent as the singularity shook.

Gudao's wrist-mounted device flared to life with the crackles of Da Vinci's voice. "Gu-…! Gudao! Gabri-…! The singulari-… breaking apar-…! It's degrada-… is accelerating! …need to get out of there!"

Even in his clouded mind, he understood the implications. Mashu saved him. Roman saved them all. If he died here, he couldn't ensure their memory lived on forever. He didn't know how he was going to get out of bed every morning, but he had to. For them… he had to live for them!

It was only then that the singularity's state registered to him. Golden light… Countless golden spheres like fairy dust floated from the surface of the ruined earth. The singularity groaned and shook, yet the spheres made it all seem so calm. The inevitable approached amid the fantastical dance around them.

The beast, engulfed in a mist of hissing steam and Gabrielle's lingering blue fire, struggled to get back onto its feet. Gudao and Gabrielle shared a quick glance, but she nodded to him and offered a small smile. "You do the honors."

"…Thanks." He glared towards Goetia, who struggled to stand to its full height before them. It was pained, and it raised a hand to try and form a magic circle. Lightning crackled from its fingers, yet the circle couldn't form completely; It was out of steam and clarity. It was done for, and he'd finish it.

Reinforcing his body, he winced as his magic circuits threatened to burn him alive, and yet he poured his heart and soul into the act. All the pain, anguish, and terror he'd been put through surged through his outstretched arm as he activated the battlesuit's spell. Goetia growled as it was frozen in place by the specialized gandr strike, purpose built for the Chaldean mystic code.

The master leapt up into the air. His other arm groaned into action, as it swung Mashu's shield forward. At the apex of the swing, he released it. The shield rocketed towards Goetia's head like a gunshot, and he grunted as he felt his muscles crack and burn with a sharp pain on release. A loud crack echoed through the singularity as it sliced into the neck, now barely a speck of its former, impenetrable glory. The shield spun, severing the head completely as it sailed on its path towards the throne.

Goetia's body, still aflame from the spells and Roman's last act, held firm for a brief second, but the knees quickly gave out. The head clattered to the ground, and the corpse fell soon after. Cracks grew along their surfaces, and tiny flakes of ash began to peel away to rise into the sky. The crackles of its burning corpse, like the sounds of a warm bonfire after an arduous hike, echoed over the shaking singularity. And yet, the head still gazed towards the masters.

"…What foolishness… You humans… that cannot be saved… Or perhaps it is a stubbornness… that does not need saving at all… What rambunctious existences you are…"

It laughed. It was confusing, but in its final moments, the beast laughed.

Goetia's head crackled and chipped into ashes and dust as the servants rushed towards the beleaguered masters. Their task complete, and the beast disintegrating before them, Gudao was the first to collapse to the ground. His body roared angrily at him, and it hurt just to think about moving. His adrenaline had faded, and the command seal's boost was long gone. Gabrielle crumpled onto her knees beside him as Ereshkigal and Medb rushed over to keep the spent masters upright.

Though countless emotions still rushed towards him, he stared up towards the throne, where Mashu's shield had planted itself on the ascent, and felt his anguish return.


	9. Epilogue

The fairy-like spheres increased in number across the singularity. Had the world not been shaking, one may have marveled at the beauty they introduced. They rose gently into the starry sky as the lightbands screeched with distorting energy in the distance. They gradually broke apart into a grainy mist that shimmered and faded away. The rocky ground shook again, and the slithering tendrils that threaded the land together shrieked with their coming end.

Far below the throne's ascent, Quetzalcoatl was rallying her mounts to serve as rides for some servants. Destabilization was growing erratic, and there was no more time to be wasted hanging around. Da Vinci had made it very clear that if the Beachhead collapsed, there would be no way to bring them home. They had to get back as soon as possible.

Enkidu helped the once-more downhearted Gudao onto the rematerialized Vimana. He wobbled into his seat, but took a saddened glance at Gilgamesh. The King of Heroes stared back with a scrutinizing eye, and his tone failed to hide his frustration. "That was reckless and pitiful, master… It reminded me of myself when Enkidu died."

Gudao barely nodded, and Enkidu tossed a sad look to his greatest friend. Gilgamesh merely sighed, and looked towards the top of the throne as Ozymandias barked orders for certain servants to board his barge. "I can't stand this place any longer."

Far up the stairs, Arturia finished her run to one of the landings, and stopped before the implanted shield. Lost in thought, she allowed her stoic façade to fracture and reveal the sadness in her eyes as she laid her hand on Mashu's shield. Dun Stallion neighed loudly behind her as it trotted up, clearly spooked at the developing situation. Emiya walked up at its side, holding its reigns lightly.

If not several times before, Mashu had truly earned her place among the roundtable with her sacrifice. In her honor, the least they could do was place the shield as her memorial in the Camelot Room… but the saber's solemn thoughts and mourning could be given attention later. Excalibur dematerialized in her hand, and she grabbed the shield for the grieving Gudao.

There was no way any of them would be leaving this behind. "Let's go, Shirou."

She mounted the horse first, and he saddled up right behind her. He placed a comforting arm around her as she signaled her steed with a gentle squeeze of her legs. Dun Stallion neighed and took to the air, before it circled back to head towards the consolidating servants. She glanced down briefly at a glint on the throne, but she didn't have time for a proper look.

As they rode away, they missed the ten glinting rings that sat abandoned.

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ Ω ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

_**Epilogue** _

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ Ω ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

The starry void was endless. No matter where she turned, all she could see was the distant twinkle of stars. Some shined brightly for the briefest of moments before they disappeared the next. Others merely faded away into the darkness. It was disorienting and confusing, yet she felt calm.

Her thoughts felt fuzzy and harder to grasp as time went on. She didn't even know how long she'd floated weightlessly in this void, but that's all she experienced after the painful heat that consumed her. She floated without pain, but seemingly deprived of purpose. The stars twinkled dimly like her pained heart.

So this was what the afterlife was like? Or was she in a purgatory as her mind slipped away?

With no body to move, she floated there as her thoughts raced around her. Though she had been satisfied, that didn't mean she held no regrets. Gudao's heartbroken expression still flashed before her, and though she held many others, leaving him alone was her biggest. She'd made a promise that she'd do everything in her power to conserve her energy, so that she'd be healthy for the possible surgery Da Vinci had theorized with the help of the grails.

Instead, she'd expended it all for the sole satisfaction that so many of those she came to love would live on to see the world she desperately wished to see… Her true world, and not a singularity. Her dreams of seeing the Grand Canyon without any care in the world, or learning to scuba dive somewhere in the coral triangle… All of her dreams of wanderlust and a happy, enriched life were now gone. She sadly wondered if she'd be adrift forever with nothing but her memories and regrets.

If she had a body, she would cry for her loss, but her moments of growing despair disappeared. A bright light flashed from the void and blinded her, yet she had no eyes to close, and no pain to feel. She merely stared into the bright light as it took on color. From what looked like a heavenly gate, it faded into a violet hue. It was like a miniature star before her. It shined with power and grace that made her forget the unfeeling coldness of the starry void.

She stared forward as a silhouette came into view within. Backlit by the light, the blurry figure condensed and formed into a familiar shape. The outline of its fur waved with a sudden gale as a small, fluffy tail wagged gently behind it. Its ears twitched happily as it seemingly stared at her, but she couldn't tell because it remained a darkened shadow. Regardless, the sheer sight of it brought warmth into her heart that mixed with confusion.

"…Fou?" So she still had a voice to speak after all.

"Thank goodness… You still remained, Mashu."

* * *

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ III ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

Blinding bluish light flared through the broken windows of the control room as the Leyshift system fired. The monitors depicting the Deployment Room showed yet another cluster of servants had arrived safely, yet Anton was already preparing the system for the next transit. Frankenstein looked between the many monitors, then to the tense faces of Da Vinci and Tesla. He swallowed his nervousness, but kept working diligently as several caution signs appeared on his monitor.

A loud bang echoed from outside, and the room shook slightly. Ruby-colored light flashed from small warning sensors overhead, and Tesla let out a small growl. Another, much more glaring caution window popped onto Anton's screen, but he didn't need to read it. They knew what they were doing was risky, but they had no choice. The computerized voice echoed through their room and the larger adjacent chamber.

**\- Warning -  
**

**\- Leyshift System Critical -  
**

**\- Immediate Shutdown is Advised -**

"Singularity collapse imminent. Average estimate… five minutes," the lone robot beeped as it too worked frantically. "Leyshift system integrity at fifty-four percent. The system has never operated in a poor condition. Consequences are unknown."

Da Vinci let out a small curse, yet it didn't faze Anton any longer. His boss was not the composed, prideful inventor and artist right now. He just hoped she would be again once the worst was over. She practically hissed. "I'm not losing anyone else on my watch! We're bringing them home!"

Outside, Anton could hear hissing steam as Babbage tried to stabilize what he could; Edison likely did the same, but there was a lack of his usual booming voice as he worked. They worked quickly to control any visible damage to the system's underfloor circuitry, and some of the engineering robots had been reactivated to assist. They could only do so much.

With his multitasking skills, he carefully switched the system's energy flows through backup channels, and occasionally glanced out the window at the many, unusual panels that covered the walls. Occasional arcs of rampant electricity flew from the battered surfaces where the invaders had managed to damage the system. They grew worse with every leyshift, but the biggest bit of paranoia had been the blue smoke Tesla spotted on two occasions; They still sat terribly in the back of his mind.

Yet, Anton kept working to squash his lingering anxiety and rampant feelings. The servants and masters had to get home… but the question was if the system would hold out long enough to do it. Anton's lightning fingers finished up his task, and he swallowed yet another gulp of stress. "System primed!"

Da Vinci nodded firmly, with eyes locked on her console. She flipped a switch. "Anishka! Is the next group ready?"

* * *

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ IV ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

With every moment that passed, the tremors grew worse. The groans of churning earth mixed with the lingering cries of the tendrils that weaved it all together. Across the singularity, the allied servants, with nothing else to fight, had begun disappearing into the starry skies they came. The demon pillars were long gone, and Goetia had fallen. The singularity was soon to follow, and they sought to escape a similar demise.

Anishka wished leyshifting home was as easy as dematerializing into the sky.

She gazed at the distant figures of the allied Jeanne d'Arc and King Gil as they held one last conversation. Slowly, they turned their way, and though the golden archer merely nodded, the saint presented one last smile. They were the last allies to disappear into golden dust, and her attention shifted to their little beachhead as the blinding column of light consumed one of the last groups.

"Final group! Please get ready to return!" Anishka called out from her spot atop the raised earth she favored at the beginning of the singularity. She glanced down at the Camelot knights, who had volunteered to be one of the last to return in case anything happened. Led by Arthur, their weariness and exhaustion was hidden well as they walked like the proud knights they were. She stared at the only exception, who Brynhildr and Arash also stared at with concern.

Lancelot held himself together well, but the despair flew from his eyes like a beacon. His fists were clenched at his side, and he stared towards the ground rather than promptly forward. Gawain placed his armored hand on his shoulder, but no words were exchanged. They merely glanced to each other, as Gawain only offered a sympathetic look. They walked over to join David, Blackbeard, and several others who were slated to return.

Only the four Indian legends would remain with Anishka as the final sentinels who'd wait for the returning group.

Anishka glanced into the air where Ishtar hovered with her elegant boat. The archer was slated to leave, but she still stared out towards the central isle. The master glanced back and saw the approaching cluster of various mounts and vessels as they soared towards them. They'd make it back in a minute or two minutes at their speed, yet her heart beat painfully against her chest.

Da Vinci said their window of escape was closing rapidly. At the worst case, that meant only her team would get pulled back. No… After everything they've been through, she wanted to make sure all of them returned. She wanted to do more, yet all she could do was hope and pray nothing more would jeopardize the brightness of their futur- "We'll be alright, Annie! There's no need to worry yourself to death."

She turned to Rama, who offered her a confident smile by Sita's side. She couldn't help but smile back at them. "…You know I can't help it, Shri Rama."

It was natural for her to worry; It only doubled after her medical education. That's what made her turn yet again towards the departing group, where a crushed Lancelot held himself strong beside Arthur and Gawain. Her gaze then drifted towards David, who looked surprisingly calm, though the despair in his eyes had grown again; As time slipped by, his belief seemed to sink further.

"We're ready on this side, Annie!" Da Vinci's voice echoed over her comms device.

"We'll be set in just a few seconds," she replied quickly, then waved towards Ishtar. "Ishtar! Please come down so we-"

A burst of violet light erupted from the ground between Anishka's rocky post and the leyshifting group. Arjuna swiftly dove right in front of Anishka and primed his bow. Sita quickly drew her own as Rama and Karna, with blinding speed, slid onto the flanks of the unknown column. Drake and Blackbeard drew their flintlocks, and Tristan's fingers itched to pluck his weapon's strings. Without any doubt, the swirling tornado of energy was powerful…

…Yet it felt warm. There was an unnerving chill that ran like an undercurrent to that feeling, but it could have been just her own paranoia and uncertainty. The servants around her stood ready as the swirling, wind-like light grew rapidly into the sky. Da Vinci's voice echoed over her receiver. "Annie!? What's happening!?"

"We don't know…!" She grit her teeth with frustration. "Does Chaldea have any reading?"

The wind howled around them, but the light quickly died as Da Vinci answered; She didn't hear it. Anishka stared at the fading winds as two outlines appeared on the ground within the fading light. Karna's eyes opened with shock, quickly followed by Arjuna's as the last bits of violet dispersed into the sky. Before a second passed entirely, there wasn't a single person at the Beachhead whose mouth wasn't agape.

"…Kyuuuu…" Fou, with eyes filled with exhaustion, collapsed to the ground beside a familiar, prone figure. Its eyes slowly closed shut, but the shielder's beside him fluttered open with a moan. Anishka could hardly believe her eyes as she stared at Mashu. Her armor was nowhere in sight, but the skin-tight bodysuit that covered her was nearly pristine... Even  _she_  looked pristine after what she'd been through, or so she'd heard.

Lancelot was the first to take a step forward in total shock and bewilderment. His eyes were thoroughly welded to the shielder as she slowly sat up with lingering exhaustion filling her pupils… yet she lived and breathed. Without a doubt, it was definitely her before them. "…Mashu…!?"

Da Vinci's holographic, blue-tinted window appeared beside Anishka. The emotional enervation in her eyes was palpable, and it nearly made the master flinch in surprise. Still, she was far more surprised at the moment than anything else. "That's…! How is that possible!? We watched her…!"

But something was off… Her presence felt considerably weaker. The warm aura, that made one feel like they were perfectly safe whenever her saint graph was active, had vanished. In fact, Anishka could barely sense her at all. It was like she was just a normal person rather than a demi-servant. Nevertheless, it didn't replace the growing relief and excitement that bulldozed her anxiety and despair further away from her heart.

" **MASHU!"**  Lancelot yelled as he practically scrambled towards her. Long gone was the rattled, disheartened knight. He was replaced by a frantic, relieved man who slid across the ground on his knees to wrap the newly revealed young woman in his arms. She gasped in surprise as Lancelot clutched her tightly out of fear she'd vanish once more. "It's you! You're alive! Thank…!  **Thank goodness!"**

Yet another who should have been dead had somehow circumvented her fate. Anishka's optimism was rekindled, and it doubled as she looked over the growing relief and happy expressions shared among the others. Her eyes landed on David, who own optimism was rejuvenated. She joined him in his regrown hopes; Maybe it was the case for Roman too! Maybe after all this… Maybe he did somehow avoid his own death!

Mashu's shocked expression quickly turned to panic. "…How did…!? S-Senpai! Where's Gudao!?  **Papa!**   **Why am I at the Beachhead!?"**

The knight pulled away briefly, and his relieved expression made room for some confusion to slip within his expression. "I… I'm not sure. We thought you…!"

"We were told of your sacrifice to stop the lightbands," Karna informed, though his eyes remained blank and curious. "Then you appeared here with Fou."

"With Fou…?" she murmured, then glanced towards the small critter at her side. Her eyes grew worried as she saw its limp form, and she quickly scooped it up into her arms. A moment passed, and though her eyes remained confused, she breathed with relief as its body gently rose and fell with its breathing. "…I don't understand… I remember holding the shield as I… But Gudao! Is Gudao okay!?"

"He is, thanks to you," Da Vinci smiled lightly. "We can theorize on how you're alive later… but we're just happy you are."

The groans of the singularity grew louder, and it started to feel less like terrible vibrations and more like a true earthquake. Da Vinci glanced off screen, and her eyes narrowed. She grit her teeth and turned to Anishka. "Annie. We need to warp them out. Now. We have three minutes at most."

"But Gudao!" Mashu cried out as she clutched Fou close to her, while she remained within Lancelot's own loose grasp. "Where is he!? I want to-"

Da Vinci's eyes were firm, yet apologetic. "You can wait for him on this end, Mashu. He's fine. He and Gabby are on their way back."

Confusion reigned supreme in the shielder's eyes. "…Gabby…!? But I…! Da Vinci! Please let me wait for him! For them!"

Mashu still didn't sound convinced in the least, but it didn't look like Da Vinci was going to back down on this. Anishka wanted to support Mashu in waiting for Gudao, but it was a difficult decision. The more people they had to leyshift at the end, the riskier things got with the system. It was already falling apart, and adding any more variables meant… It was a call her heart couldn't make. Anishka was just glad Da Vinci appeared to be adamant on this.

As the inventor took a firmer stance with Mashu, she glanced back towards the last approaching Chaldeans, and prayed no more tragedies would come this day.

* * *

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ V ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

Gudao sat silently in his seat as Enkidu held him carefully in place. He gazed forward towards the Beachhead as it grew closer in the distance. A flash of bright blue light in the distance barely registered in his hazy, exhausted mind; Yet another group had returned to Chaldea, and it would be their turn soon.

Regardless, his thoughts were a jumbled mess. They drifted from grief, to the small slithers of lingering anger. Afterwards, they may have shifted back to acknowledging the throbbing, terrible pains of his own body. He'd get worried over his own state, then feel the tugs of depression again. Sometimes the emotions went in a circle, other times they didn't play by any sort of rules. Gabrielle being alive had done wonders for his heartaches, but a flood was still a flood even if the waters dropped by a few meters.

The wind rushed past his face, but with squinted eyes, he glanced towards Gabrielle in the adjacent chariot. Her eyes were glued on him in worry, and if she had a choice, she'd have likely tried to forcefully board the Vimana to keep him company. For their precautionary protection, they were placed on different mounts in case something else happened. The last thing anyone wanted was for another event to catch them all off guard again.

Gudao looked around at the growling singularity. The shower of golden light was overcoming every bit of earth within sight. Chunks of ruined ground, both large and small, rose into the sky and tumbled like asteroids. They forged a small obstacle course in their way, yet maneuvering around them was a basic chore to the servants at best. A rather large piece of earth rose right between the Vimana and Ozymandias' barge, momentarily blocking part of their force from sight.

They were brief distractions for Gudao, whose only recurring train of thought among the fragmented brambles was how Chaldea was going to feel now. It was one thing to mourn the dead, but the absence of two people so close to him threatened to throw him into the pits of anguish again. In the past, the only person he'd ever lost that was so close to him was his kind and spoiling grandmother. These deaths felt far worse, if only because he felt he could have done something to stop it.

Could all this have been circumvented if they planned better? The strategies had been determined by a collective of Chaldea's best, but improvement could have been done, right? What did they miss that allowed all this to happen? Had he really grown as overconfident, and maybe arrogant, as Goetia inferred?

Guilt was heavy, yet it powered his dull heartbeats right now. With a numb expression, he stared forward towards the Beachhead and sighed. These next few days were going to be hell, and he wondered just how many nightmares would plague him for the rest of his life by this singularity alone. He'd had his fair share before, but none anywhere near as traumatic as this experience. Somehow he'd manage, though. He had to in order to keep their memories alive in the gloomy days to come.

He released a slow breath, and Enkidu shot him a sympathetic expr-

The lancer's eyes widened swiftly and shot towards the ground… Towards the island among the crumbling circle where the Beachhead was attached. Gudao, with new anxiety rising, hoped it wasn't the Beachhead breaking apart. Part of him cynically said that would be par for the course at this point, but he still tried to deny it. Instead, he watched with growing frustration as Enkidu stood up calmly and glared towards the island.

"What do you feel, my friend?" Gilgamesh asked, but his tone was laced with its own anger.

"This presence is different yet…" Enkidu informed promptly. Compared to everyone else, no one had Enkidu's capable detection skills. That's why Gudao's worry, and anger, grew as Enkidu's glare intensified, and he called telepathically,  _"Everyone. Get ready. That beast doesn't know when to quit."_

" **Are you kidding fucking me right now!?"**  Gabrielle roared into the air, and it underlined the song of his growing rage.

From their height as they drew near, a tiny whirlpool of energy swirled on the island. Light of purest gold mixed with ebony darkness. They churned and rang with a growing intensity that hummed through the air like the sound of a jet engine starting up. They pooled together, and in its center, a new shape was forming. Gudao couldn't see it clearly with his eyes, nor could he feel that ominous, foreboding feeling of the beast's pressure.

What he could feel was the overflowing rage that they weren't finished here yet.

* * *

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ VI ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

Amid the swirling energy, Goetia opened its eyes once more.

It was taken back, and it took a moment to understand it was still here. The singularity broke apart and groaned around him, yet it was a passing triviality at the moment. Its body was incomplete, and felt far different than before as it gazed forward in confusion. It had experienced death, yet why was it now…

Why was it now feeling the sensation of cold chill against its hardened skin? There was a pounding in its chest it did not understand, and the revitalizing touch of air as it drew in a breath. Sensations it never knew began to register like lightbulbs, and only confused the beast further. It did not understand any of this, yet it felt… relieving. All of it felt comfortable after that terrible experience of mounting pain, weakness, and fear.

It levitated silently, but finally gazed to its hand. Its eyes opened in shock as it stared at the clearly human appendage. A tanned hand, similar to Solomon's, yet with golden markings, greeted it. It flexed the fingers, then stared towards its other side where only a void greeted it. A mist of darkness surrounded the spot where its other arm should be, yet it didn't feel pain. It was only further confused as it felt the welling of power within, but nowhere near the heights it once stood.

Parts of its body were missing, yet what it did feel felt… alive? Was that the proper way to describe it, if not intact? It placed its hand against the well-toned muscles of its torso, and relished the sensation of its own touch. It felt the gentle, wild strands of golden hair blow around him and brush against its bare back. With the hand now raised to its face, it felt the definitive features of a sharp jawline as it finally blinked with its…  _his_  own eyes.

Goetia didn't understand how, but…  _he_  had been given another form. Was this a consequence of his last wish, in a space that allowed their kind to ignore the consequences of death? Had he been granted the final, rage-filled wish that he felt thundering through that former, invincible body? It had been given a second chance, and while it felt relieving, he also felt… vulnerable again.

He was human now, or at least held a human-like appearance. That meant immortality was nowhere in his grasp, and the familiar fear of death grew within. With the singularity still collapsing around him, he had been granted another life just to die… only to perish worthlessly like yet another human life. Had he received this chance out of irony? Was this the punishment for his several millennia long plan… just to die like the confusing humans their former collective tried to grant salvation?

Goetia wondered where the pillars were now… if they truly died and dispersed, or made use of their own, free and emphasized individual natures. Since he no longer suppressed and coordinated them to their end goal, maybe some escaped for one reason or another. Could he do the same to escape the hand he was dealt?

Though the fear of death sounded from within, it was joined by another feeling. It was like a voice, or an instinct… maybe an instruction. It urged him to act. To do something besides simply levitating there and accepting what was to come. Maybe there was a way out? Maybe its fate could still be averted?

…But why? Just to live a little longer and delay the inevitable? What was the point in it all if it only had a finite amount of time to accomplish anything. It was a confusing feeling, yet persuasive beyond all measure. It rivalled the dread and anxiety that welled within, and it was what compelled him to finally looks around with greater scrutiny. With its current energy, there was the chance he could maybe manage something to…

Goetia stared up by the disintegrating lightbands, which appeared to frame the approaching Chaldeans. He saw the golden Vimana at the front, surrounded by several servants that he had fought but moments before everything went dark. His eyes narrowed slightly as he spotted the two masters glaring daggers at him alongside their ever-vigilant guardians.

So… Chaldea had yet to escape the singularity.

In his sight, the first golden portals were forming in mass. They were joined by other conjured spells and preparing servants as they shifted into a flying battle formation. Behind him, the former beast could feel the gaze of others upon his back, along with their own prepared attacks. He stood between many Chaldeans and their way home, yet he didn't have anywhere near the ability or power he needed to prevent them from leaving.

The former beast was now weak, and still couldn't wage a proper fight against the exhausted Chaldean forces. There were no allies to aid him, and he hovered at a very disadvantageous position between the two forces. The fear of death ran rampant, and the acknowledgement that it stood no chance needed no evidence. Yet still, its mind offered unusual answers as another emotion rivaled the anxiety of another death.

Anger filled his body, and it urged him to attack. The persuasiveness of the emotion was a reminder to the battle but moments ago, where he let it push him into impulsive and often blind action. Yet, even his mind felt like it was the right decision. Death was very likely, and the chance of any success on his part was derisorily small; It was far more likely no action would yield the same result as doing anything…

…Nevertheless, he  _desired_  to act.

Goetia wanted to get back at the Chaldeans. He wanted to stop them, and possibly take as many of them as he could with him. It was a decision surrounded by pure clarity, granted not by the fear of death, but the purposeful resolve that welled within. Even if the odds were against him, Goetia wanted to do something and make every moment worth it. He wanted to go down trying, rather than simply accepting fate with frustration and helplessness.

Though his actions would very likely mean nothing… Goetia found himself chuckling. He raised his hand, and fired his first 'meaningless' spell. It wasn't something he knew before, the channeled attack activated swiftly. A bright ball of light appeared before the Chaldeans, and forced the Vimana to evade. It detonated in a spectacular ball of contrasting light and darkness. The attack failed to do anything but destroy some shattered earth, yet he was compelled to try again.

Surprised, he stared at his own hand, and the chuckling grew. It felt indescribable as it blossomed into a bellowing laughter fueled not by hysteria or disbelief, but of newfound wisdom. He laughed as he channeled its first 'meaningless' shield, just as the swarms of projectiles soared towards him. After so long of wondering and pondering, the former beast laughed, because at the end of it all, he finally understood.

' _How uselessly, terribly short… How surprisingly interesting… So_ this _is a human's life!'_

Goetia laughed as the first attacks threatened to overwhelm him.

* * *

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ VII ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

"We've never leyshifted this many at once!"

"We don't have a choice about this!" Da Vinci yelled back, but her focus remained on the screens. Goetia had reappeared, but the beast had been quickly felled by the remaining Chaldeans. It was hardly a battle, and more akin to a landslide than anything else. Even Goetia's new, strange attacks were mostly a nuisance, yet it costed them dearly: An entire minute had been wasted fighting Goetia, which was time they didn't have to spare.

Sparks danced across some of the exposed floorboards in the room outside, and the hisses of the machinery gave voice to its agony. Babbage and Edison could do little else to keep the machine stable, and the singularity was falling apart at a greater rate than anyone could have predicted. Outside the control room doors, Amakusa was stopping several servants from trying to enter the room to watch the situation; She appreciated the gesture. They didn't need an audience in this stressful environment.

With the system primed, her focus remained divided between the singularity's primary monitor and the status of the machinery. With the time they had, and the system's condition, they only had one more shot at this. She watched with mounting tension as the remaining forces landed at the Beachhead, and swiftly scrambled to the marker point. Arturia rushed over with Mashu's shield, their last leyshift beacon.

As the singularity deteriorated further, communications grew frazzled. It did little for her stress, but they had no room for failure. She was going to get them all out of there. Roman's sacrifice would not be joined by further deaths! There was a future they all had to experience together! They were going to bring them home even if the system was destroyed to do it!

There was a small pop, followed by a spark of electricity from the Deployment Room. It rattled her nerves further, and did the same for others outside the door. Her eyes didn't shift away from the screens as the door swung open. Amakusa called out, "Hey! Mashu! Wait!"

The shielder didn't listen as she quickly slipped in with Fou cradled in her arms, but she stopped in surprise and despair upon seeing the damage of the room. Lancelot followed her in, and also took the scene in. He followed Mashu's gaze towards the monitors, and placed a reassuring arm around his adopted daughter. Other servants quietly filed in, and they watched anxiously as the cluster of servants and masters gathered tightly on the rupturing plot of land.

All around them, the Beachhead rocked violently like a sinking ship. Chunks of ruined earth rose into the sky with the ever-growing clouds of golden dust; It was going to come down to seconds. Her heart hitched when the land beneath Gudao crumbled, but Gabrielle, Enkidu, and Ereshkigal quickly caught him as the final few servants joined the cluster.

Anishka's distorted voice shot through her mind like whisper. "… Vinci! We-… ead…! -… us-… of here!"

* * *

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ VIII ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

Groans of the rupturing earth were loud and cataclysmic. Gabrielle couldn't help but hug Gudao tighter as more of the island came apart around them. They stood amongst a miniature asteroid field, as the last shrieking tentacles died out far beneath their feet. She hugged Gudao tighter, and he hugged back as the gathered group waited impatiently for the leyshift.

The land began to give way beneath them, and Anishka let out a gasp as she nearly fell through a growing fissure. Rama and Sita quickly grabbed her, but she hung with wide eyes until they pulled her up. There was no more land beneath her feet, but only the endless abyss of the surrounding starscape. With ever passing second, the earthquake grew worse, but as their worries grew rampant, Mashu's shield finally flashed brightly with a vibrant blue pulse.

In a flash, the remaining Chaldeans disappeared with the shield.

Empty and void of any life, the singularity roared with its death throes. Golden dust rose and drifted away like pollen in a springtime field. The pained cries of the ruined earth were joined by an unnatural hum that reverberated from all around. Violently, the last of the ruined land across the reality marble broke apart and rose into the sky. They danced and mingled with the shower of lit spheres.

Then the last of the earthquakes abruptly stopped. The ruined land tumbled in the air, broken and shattered like their former residents. The debris field among the starry skies was unrecognizable from its former, ominous formation. Yet, even after the world shook itself apart, one spot of land remained untouched.

Solomon's throne floated among the rocky field, nearly perfectly intact with small traces of land clinging to its ascent. Upright and shining like a beacon in the darkness, it remained among the now silent void as the cries of the singularity came to a halt. Somehow, the Ars Salomis stabilized in the sea of imaginary numbers, yet it held nothing…

Nothing except the ten rings of Solomon that rested atop the throne's seat like a memento of what once had been.

* * *

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ IX ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

" **Get away! RUN!"**

Gudao didn't know who yelled the panicked statement just moments after they materialized within Chaldea. He only registered Enkidu quickly wrapping his arms around him and Gabrielle, then swiftly jumping away. They were joined in the air by several servants, while even more rushed across the walkway towards the only exit in the massive. It was only when Enkidu landed roughly at the far end of the walkway did Gudao finally turn back and understand.

Chaldeas spun gently in its unique cradle, but all around the room, sparks and arcs of unstable electric current ran rampant.

Tesla and Babbage were the last ones bolting down the walkway as a small explosion erupted from one of the walls. A metal panel was sent spiraling into one of the leyshift spaces on the ground, and broke the sparkling pad on impact. Another pad flared with a burst of lightning before tiny flames tried to burst from its outline. Yet another panel by Chaldeas burst into the air as a pipe broke at the seam to release a torrent of hot gas.

Before he could think how much worse things could get, the lighting slowly dimmed to a reddish hue as the computerized voice boomed through the room.

**\- Warning -**

**\- Leyshift System Critical -**

**\- Forced Shutdown Initiated –**

The dying hums of the system quickly disappeared with the crackles of electricity. Only the sporadic fires crackled with the hissing, broken steam vent. One last, small explosion tore up another section of leyshift pads, but only the sound of the warning klaxons gave his heart any reason to beat hard.

As Enkidu released his hold, Gudao fell onto the cold ground as Gabrielle did the same beside him. She let out a tremendous breath of relief, but his heartbeat still ran rampant. With deep breaths, Gudao tried to calm himself as the servants around them let out their own relief. Some chuckled, and a few others finally cheered.

They made it. They were home, even if the welcome wasn't what any of them would have hoped. He stared at his worn, pained hands as he controlled his breaths. He managed a small smile, especially when Gabrielle let out a relieved laugh and threw her arms around him. "We made it!  **WE MADE IT!"**

"Yeah… We're alive..." he breathed out, though he wished his smile could be bigger. All around them, some servants talked amongst each other, while others crowded around the pair to check their condition. In his peripherals, he saw Arturia holding Mashu's shield, but he didn't want to stare at it… not right now. Instead, his gaze shifted to Anishka as she swiftly, yet politely, pushed past some servants to check on her fellow masters' condition.

Before she could ask anything, Gabrielle released her hold of Gudao and wrapped her arms around the other master.  **"WE DID IT, ANNIE! WE'RE BACK!"**

Anishka blushed lightly, but giggled and returned the embrace. Gabrielle rocked them gently as Gudao smiled at the two. He was glad Gabrielle's emotions could swing so wildly at times like this, but he wished the same could be said for him. He wanted to be happy… but not everyone was here.

Many employees had died, including ones he befriended… Roman had sacrificed himself for all of them to return… The beautiful girl who'd been by his side as his protector for so long was-

"Wait, Mashu!?" "Senpai!?" "Hey! That's definitely Mashu!" "What!?  _ **HOW!?"**_  "Make room for Mashu!"  **"SENPAI!"**

Crippled by shock and growing hope, Gudao turned around very slowly with impossibly wide eyes. The last thing he saw was Ereshkigal moving out of the way between him and the rest of the dispersing crowd. His vision seemed to darken at that point, if only to highlight the only one his mind desired to see as she ran towards him. With quivering eyes, and a swelling heart, his gaze met the teary eyed Mashu as she bolted towards him.

He didn't know how she… With his own eyes, he saw her die trying to protect her. She was consumed by the might of the lightbands, yet she protected him and the main Chaldean force. Mashu was supposed to be dead, and yet his heart threw that truth away hastily. It didn't care about rhyme or reason. All he cared about was the sight of that beloved face rushing towards him as her first tear slipped down her cheek.

" **MASHU!"**  Gudao practically yelled as he shot to his feet. His exhausted body reacted immediately, and more muscles than he could count joined the ones he recently cramped in his calves. He stumbled forward, and though he was in pain, he forced his legs to move towards her. He was an awkward mess, and yet he managed to crash ungracefully into Mashu's arms as they collided together. The collapsed to their knees, but he refused to let go. "Mashu! You're…!  **It's you!"**

"It's me, Gudao…!" she cried as they held each other closely. He didn't care who was watching as he smiled and cried like a total idiot. He felt her warm tears on his shoulder, and the familiar comfort of her in his arms. He sniffled at the same time she did as a loud cheers erupted all around them. "Y-You're...! I mean… both… We're b-both home!"

He reacted on instinct, and pulled away quickly to glue his lips onto hers. They clung to each other desperately, and he savored every second of this wonderful kiss. The warmth of her gentle lips on his and her gentle arms holding him tightly was yet another dose of medicine for his pained heart. That warm, loving smile he thought he'd never wake up to ever again was back. To say he was relieved was an understatement as their eyes wept and their hearts intertwined once more.

"Woah now! Get some air you two!" Cu joked, and laughter ran through many of those watching. Gudao and Mashu chuckled against each other's lips before they broke apart… only for Gabrielle to jump on them with her own, teary-eyed hug.

" **THANK ALL THE GODS YOU'RE OKAY!** _ **ALL OF THEM!"**_  she cried out, and sent yet another round of chuckles through the gathered servants. The sounds of the relieved people around him made Gudao smile brighter. This was starting to feel more like the welcome he wanted.

Anishka walked over with Rama and Sita, then gently took a seat beside them. She smiled at them, but didn't anticipate Rama would quickly push her into the group. She yelped in surprise, then giggled as Gabrielle swiftly pulled her into the hug as best as she could. Mashu giggled, and Gudao found himself chuckling as well… It felt amazing. He wanted to relish this moment as long as he could.

"I'm glad everyone made it out okay!" Gudao recognized David's voice, but it took him a few seconds before his mind made the connection.

' _That's right… David is Solomon's…'_ The four broke apart from their little group hug and glanced towards the green-haired archer, who smiled at them gently. He stood among the giant crowd of gathered servants, which was a good majority of Chaldea's Heroic Spirits by the looks of it; Some, like Helena, were lending Edison some help with putting out the lingering fires in the room. The ones that were here, slowly fell silent as David merely looked around with that small smile.

Anishka looked to Gudao with worry, but he couldn't hide the truth. Pain shined quickly in his and Gabrielle's eyes as they tried to hide it desperately. David turned back to smile at them, even as a voice called out from behind him in the crowd. "…David…"

The crowd parted quickly, and revealed Da Vinci standing with a blank, terribly composed expression. Tesla and Shakespeare stood to one side of her, and on the other was Frankenstein and Anton. The unconscious Fou was in Lancelot's arms, who stood behind them silently.

David didn't turn around, and Gudao felt his heartache grow as David's smile faded a bit. The sadness in the man's eyes became apparent, yet the archer did not cry or move. He merely breathed deeply in the unnerving silence as the last fires were smothered in the background slower than the hope in his eyes.

"David…" Da Vinci began again, and even her voice was unnaturally unsteady. It thundered through Gudao's nerves again as Mashu looked between all of them in confusion. She stared at Da Vinci as she steeled herself. "…When Roman left for the singularity… He knew he wasn't coming home."

David remained silent, but Mashu quickly turned to him in shock. "Roman…!? Roman went to…!?"

Gudao slowly nodded, then gazed at her with his own, reigniting anguish. She turned to him expectedly, but it pained him just to recall that terrible moment. As evenly as he could, he spoke. "…Roman was secretly King Solomon. He… he… sacrificed himself to make Goetia vulnerable."

There were tiny whimpers from a child, and it tugged at Gudao's heartstrings. He turned towards the source, where Atalanta was now worriedly gazing at Jack beside her. The little assassin stared at him with disbelief and growing despair. "…No! No he's not! No! Roman's not gone!"

"But he can be resummoned right!?" a fatigued Nero called out from somewhere in the crowd. "Umu~! He was a servant, no? So then we just need to call him back!"

Da Vinci shook her head, and the silence grew more painful. David still didn't turn to look. "Ars Nova. His noble phantasm wasn't just a sacrifice… It erased his existence from the Throne of Heroes. Even if we had a catalyst, it wouldn't work… David… I'm sorry, I-"

David let out a small chuckle, and shook his head. The small pause that followed was painfully silent, yet the archer looked unnaturally composed. The anguish wasn't getting to him, but Gudao had to wonder if it was the same case within. "I know, Da Vinci… I saw it in his eyes. That bastard was always terrible at hiding his feelings."

Da Vinci looked like she wanted to say something, but she slowly closed her mouth in the growing pause. The surrounding crowd, with occasional sniffles, was silent as David let out a breath and closed his eyes, yet his smile had only barely faded. "I… I just wanted to believe when Gabby and Mashu came back… That's all. I just wanted to believe we were both wrong, and he'd be home… celebrating with us… That good-for-nothing son of mine… You really did it didn't you…?"

Jack burst into tears, and Nursery Rhyme looked to be close to doing the same. Atalanta quickly knelt down to try and soothe her daughters, but the little assassin was bawling a storm already. "Mommy! H-He c-can't be g-g-gone! I w-want Roman-!  **I W-WANT R-ROMAN BACK!"**

The cries of a child were heart wrenching, but with everything he'd gone through already, it was deafening. Sniffles ran rampant among the crowed. Some, like Altera, wiped their eyes as tears grew. Others held strong, much like David did. Gudao felt another tear roll down his cheek as Mashu turned back to him with a fresh batch of tears. Gabrielle sniffled as the shielder gently put her hand on his. "He… Roman…!"

" **ROMAN IS A HERO THAT WILL NE'ER BE FORGOT!"**

Shakespeare's voice had been so loud, even the servants putting out the final flames turned to look at him from across the large room. Atalanta glared at him at first, but then her eyes fell bewildered at his expression. Through his blurry vision, Gudao couldn't help but stare at Shakespeare's firm, unyielding gaze. It wasn't the ecstatic expression they were so often used to seeing the caster wearing, but one of undying promise and resolve.

"He was a servant with a wish, like any of us! One who had his wish fulfilled, yet so readily threw it away for the sake of humanity!" Shakespeare cried out as he swept his arm out dramatically; His other clutched the closed notebook tightly in his grasp. "Such selflessness from a crazy coward! Such an act from a man who hid his identity from all but one! It is a tale for the ages, and one that must never be forgotten! It's an inspiring tale… a story of love and hope that the world shall cherish until the end of time itself if I have any say in it!"

Shakespeare thrust the clutched book in his hands skyward, as if it were a holy grail.  **"Roman's sacrifice didn't kill him! It made him eternal! The Hero of Humanity!"**

The sniffling in the crowd seemed to diminish, and even Jack's crying had subsided enough for her to stare. Gudao eyed the caster in shock and sniffled, but Fionn quickly and resolutely thrust his hand into the air behind the master.  **"To Roman 'Solomon' Archaman! A man of true beauty and greatness!"**

He had barely any time to glance at Fionn before David raised his hand with a pained, but firm smile.  **"A friend who will live on in our hearts!"**

Jack's sniffling calmed down enough for her to raise her own arm into the air.  **"One of the b-best playmates!"**

One by one, more chimed in, and Gudao couldn't hide the smile that formed on his lips. Mashu wiped her eyes, and her expression also lightened as the cheers grew in strength. He spied Da Vinci's tiny, grateful, yet sad smile she gave to Shakespeare, who merely bowed to her honestly and clutched the precious book close. David perhaps cheered the loudest, even as a tear threatened to roll its way down his smiling face.

This wasn't the welcome home he wanted, but it was nonetheless an inspiring one. They were helping each other bury grief and despair beneath the cries of celebration. Soon enough, he was among the cheering voices. Gabrielle and Mashu's own praises joined soon after as the room filled with the cries of victory. They would feel his loss, without any doubt, but not now. For now, they cheered for the man who saved them all, and allowed them the victory they needed.

Chaldea won... Humanity would see the dawn of the following morning.

* * *

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ X ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

* * *

Lit like a warm fireplace on a cold night, Fantasia Resort was blanketed by the golden hues of its pseudo-sun as it hovered just above the horizon. The smell of grilled meat and vegetables wafted in the air as they cooked nearby on the boardwalk. A pair of automaton seagulls walked curiously through the maze of beach blankets and lounging chairs. Many servants and staff alike sat among them, but others loitered and mingled by the barbeque grills on the boardwalk nearby.

"Can we get a cheer for Chaldea's fighting star!?" Leonidas asked loudly as he hoisted a laughing Delaqua onto his shoulder.

The surrounding blankets were the first to let out a hearty cheer as the supervisor let out a laugh, and Da Vinci smiled at the sight. The mirth and relief of some wasn't as apparent as others, but many of the outgoing servants were doing their best to keep spirits high. In particular, the Celtic legends were doing a great job keeping many of the present staff distracted and celebrating. She could safely say the party itself was working as intended.

It had been so hasty that no one had time to change, but Da Vinci wanted it done without delay. The facility straddled a fine line between grieving and jubilation, and she wanted to do everything in her power to ensure the mood swung upward… at least for as long as it could. The terrible scars inflicted upon Chaldea would be hard to heal when they inevitably resurfaced, and the facility's damage would take time. Those were tasks best left to the future; For now, there was a hard-earned victory that deserved to be celebrated in good spirits.

As she glanced around at the boardwalk railing, she gently swirled her glass of wine and took in the sights with a small smile. Fantasia Resort had been spared from any serious collateral damage compared to the rest of Chaldea. It made it the obvious choice for the hastily prepared barbeque that the robots were handling. The cuisine wasn't the usual Chaldean high standard for dinner, but any food tasted delicious after the trauma they've been through.

The facility shook again for the second time that hour, but Da Vinci was not worried; Several looked around in worry, but most had grown complacent after her explanation. It did not herald an incoming attack from outside, nor did it signal the death throe of their own singularity. If anything, it was only a tiny nuisance, and a much more powerful reminder that their triumph had not been a hollow victory. With every shake of the facility, the world grew closer to its correction.

Only twenty-two more hours and Chaldea would be seated in its proper home once more.

A servant approached from behind, and though his presence was palpable, she could tell the exhaustion in his weary steps. She glanced over to David as he took a spot at the railing beside her with a tiny smile. He took a swig of his water, and she sipped her wine while they stared towards the masters' blanket in silence. Gabrielle was currently gushing about something to Anishka and Mashu, and the shielder giggled as she gently cradled Gudao's sleeping head on her lap. Lancelot sat happily nearby on the adjacent Camelot blanket, and tossed an occasional, thankful glance to his adopted daughter.

Da Vinci glanced to David as he stared at their group silently. "…How are you feeling?"

It wasn't the sincerest way to ask, but she always did prefer getting to the point on terribly serious matters. He looked to her, and his smile grew a touch sadder. "I'm… managing. Though I should be asking you that too. You've got too much on your plate now."

She glanced at her empty plate on the railing, but nodded her head slowly. Though she didn't mind a bigger workload, she honestly loathed the idea of doing all of it alone. She was Chaldea's Director now, which came with all the stressful decisions and terrible hardship that was going to begin once the party ended. Managing Chaldea's well-being, reconstructing the facility… coping with the loss of Roman… A full plate was an understatement.

"I'll manage… I am the universal Leonardo da Vinci, after all," she giggled lightly with a tiny smirk, but David smiled sadly; It had sounded so forced and pained. She sighed. "…There's a lot to get done, but we're not deploying anyone or seeing new faces for… maybe a week at best."

David nodded slowly. "Then those blips on Chaldeas...?"

"Same thing we've always dealt with," she mused lightly. "Goetia was stopped, but there are still many benign and malignant singularities coming and going."

"Then the servants are still needed," he concluded, and she nodded her head. He smiled a bit brighter. "Looks like no one's going anywhere just yet."

There was always the occasional, worried gossip among the staff that the servants may return to the throne after everything was completed. Truth be told, maybe some might consider it for various reasons, but she didn't see it happening for many. If it wasn't forced, then she had no doubt the majority, if not all, would stay… especially if there were singularities to fix to ensure humanity's prosperity. She would even laugh and say many would use them as an excuse to stay, if she was in a better mood.

"Thankfully. I'll need all the help getting Chaldea back on its feet," she stated before taking another quick sip of her wine. In truth, many were already doing just that. Edison, Helena, and Tesla nearly had the primary generator repaired; The grail they installed would supply enough energy until then. Nightingale was assisted by several other servants to ensure the injured staff were in stable condition. Babbage was directing the workforce of robots to ascertain the facility's condition for proper damage reports.

They, along with others, could have been hearing celebrating the victory, but they put Chaldea's situation first. Da Vinci was just satisfied many here were relishing in the afterglow of mankind's triumph, but her concerns for the future remained plentiful. Her main worry presided over any emotional and mental trauma inflicted on the staff and masters would likely resurface in force. There were also unknown potential issues when Chaldea resurfaced in the world… but she hoped they'd be manageable.

…A full plate indeed. David quickly sensed her inner conflict. "Ah… look at us. Talking about things you wanted to avoid at this party. Change of subject?"

She tried to think of something else off the top of her head, but it was so clouded with concerns and future management that she couldn't. She hummed to herself inquisitively to think, but then another cry originated from the Roman servants.  **"Another toast for Roman Archaman!"**

That was probably the third requested toast since the party started, but no one grew tired of it. David chuckled, and Da Vinci turned to him to find a sad, but proud, smile. His voice didn't waver. "If only he were here to relish in all this praise."

Da Vinci found herself smiling too. "He'd be trying to play it down... He'd scratch the back of his head with his big, embarrassed smile."

"Then he'd gladly soak it all in while playing bashful," David chuckled, and Da Vinci smirked with a giggle. "You'd probably give a tease or two. He'd whine childishly."

"You'd come support him, and then wind up teasing him too when he thinks you have his back."

"He'd get all mopey, and try to look at Magi*Mari for support. We'd apologize… Or at least I would. You'd just tease him again."

She smiled brightly, and wiped a forming tear from her eye. "...He secretly loved when I did that."

Though every mention of him and who he was pained her heart, she still enjoyed this moment, as did David it seemed. It was like an Irish wake, which was fitting since the funerals would be held in two days. The Furniture Department needed to build proper coffins, but some of Delaqua's staff had also perished; Thankfully she had servant support in the form of her friends. It'd be a difficult few days, but they'd make it through them... together, just like so many times before.

Day by day, they'd manage the hardships, just like humanity always had.

It was just the cycle of life. As Roman so eloquently put it, when humans were pushed into a corner, it is then when they'd truly shine. Every word he declared to Goetia rung soundly in her mind, and she couldn't have thought of a more honest and hardworking individual to say it than him. For all their faults, humans could still come together and make something beautiful that did more than just redeem them. They built a brighter future for the next generations to carry the torch of progress further into the night.

Roman passed that torch to them. That's why she owed him... they all owed him, but his debt was easy to repay.

All they needed to do was live. Through all the troubles and turmoil that came their way, she'd ensure Chaldea would remain the place he loved so much; If anything, it would grow more beautiful. It was a promise... one without words that she'd etch onto her heart as a last request he never voiced.

David presented his glass of iced water to her. She smiled, and raised her wine glass as he spoke proudly. "Another one for Roman?"

Even if he was no longer in the throne, he'd live on in their hearts. That didn't stop her from yearning to see him again, but she understood what was and what is. He sacrificed himself for all of them, and she would do everything in her power to ensure it wasn't in vain. Humanity would continue to roll down the unexplored road ahead, yet Chaldea would remain its guardians into the unknown.

Their glasses clinked, and they sipped down their happiness, pride, and anguish together. Her smile shined brighter than the lingering tears in her eyes. "To Roman."

On the horizon, the sun kissed the ocean's edge, and heralded the night that preceded mankind's new dawn.

**.**

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ Ω ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

_**The End** _

**-•===ЯΞΞΞ[ Ω ]ΞΞΞR===•-**

**.**

**Final Words**

_You've completed the third supplement of the Fragments Series!_  
But it's not time to return to the core series just yet.

 _ **Supplement Story["Equilibrium" ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15361230/chapters/35643999)is next in the chronological reading order.  
**_ The next supplement will also be short, but it's the prologue to the next canon FGO arc.

 _To the readers who took the time and gave it a shot, thanks for sticking with it!  
_ _I'm going to give a special thanks to SKYS for all the help you've given! Thanks much!_

_I hope you've left this feeling content!  
Thanks for reading!_

**_~GhostXavier_ **


End file.
